Key Points
- If Pakistan wins, they qualify for the Super 4s, keeping their title hopes alive.
- If UAE wins, they pull off a major upset and eliminate Pakistan from the Asia Cup 2025.
DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) won the toss and opted to bowl first on a grassy track against Pakistan in a do-or-die Asia Cup 2025 fixture on Wednesday at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Tensions soared earlier today when the Pakistan team remained grounded at their hotel just hours before the scheduled fixture, prompting confusion and uncertainty over the match’s status.
The situation escalated when Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi took to the social media platform X, announcing that the team had been instructed to travel to the stadium:
“We have asked the Pakistan team to depart for the Dubai Cricket Stadium. Further details to follow,” he wrote.
The decision came after hours of internal deliberation amid an ongoing match referee dispute, which also led to a one-hour delay in the match’s start time.
About the Match: A Survival Battle
This isn’t just another group-stage game; it’s survival. Both Pakistan and the UAE find themselves on the brink of elimination, with the winner of tonight’s clash advancing to the Super 4s, and the loser crashing out.
It’s the third meeting between the two sides in just over a month, and while Pakistan leads 3-0 in head-to-heads, recent form and internal issues have left the favourites vulnerable.
The UAE, fresh off a spirited win against Oman, enters this match with momentum and hunger. Skipper Muhammad Waseem remains their linchpin, with solid backup emerging from Alishan Sharafu and Asif Khan. On the bowling front, Junaid Siddique continues to shine, standing third on the tournament’s wicket-takers chart.
Pakistan, meanwhile, are battling their own demons. The top order has failed to fire, with captain Salman Agha, Fakhar Zaman, and others struggling for consistency. Surprisingly, part-timer Saim Ayub leads the team in wickets, while the pace battery, including Shaheen Afridi and the yet-to-return Haris Rauf, has underwhelmed.
This is a contest between two teams with everything to lose, and everything to prove. While Pakistan may boast the bigger names and deeper bench, the UAE has shown it can punch above its weight.
What’s at Stake?
If Pakistan wins, they qualify for the Super 4s, keeping their title hopes alive.
If UAE wins, they pull off a major upset and eliminate Pakistan from the Asia Cup 2025.
The countdown has begun for what promises to be a tense, gripping showdown in Dubai, with pride, qualification, and possibly careers on the line.
Squads:
Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Haris (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (c), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed
UAE: Muhammad Waseem (c), Muhammad Zohaib, Asif Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Rahul Chopra (wk), Dhruv Parashar, Haider Ali, Muhammad Rohid, Harshit Kaushik, Muhammad Jawad, Junaid Siddique
