UAE Names 17-Member Squad for T20 Asia Cup 2025, Muhammad Waseem to Lead Team
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced a 17-player squad for the T20 Asia Cup 2025. The selectors made two new inclusions Matiullah Khan and Simranjeet Singh were not part of the squad currently playing in the home tri-series with Afghanistan and Pakistan. Experienced batter Muhammad Waseem will continue as the captain guiding UAE in the upcoming continental event as they look to make a strong impact against Asia’s top teams.
UAE find themselves in Group A alongside India, Pakistan and Oman, where they will need at least two victories to secure a place in the Super 4s. Beating India looks like a tough task given their strength and depth, but Pakistan has shown inconsistency giving UAE a realistic chance to aim for an upset against their big neighbors. A win over Oman will be equally important and with home conditions on their side, UAE will be hopeful of making history by progressing past the group stage in this year’s Asia Cup.
UAE captain Muhammad Waseem is also chasing some personal records. He needs 141 more runs to reach 3,000 T20I runs, currently sitting at 2,859 with three centuries and 23 fifties. Waseem is also closing in on the record for most T20I sixes, with 176 sixes, just behind India’s Rohit Sharma who leads with 205. Recently, he became the player with the most T20I sixes as a captain, surpassing New Zealand’s Martin Guptill.
Tri-Series Provides UAE a Chance to Fine-Tune Skills
UAE will start their Asia Cup 2025 campaign against India on September 10 followed by a clash with Oman on September 15 and then face Pakistan on September 17. The team will be guided by former India cricketer Lalchand Rajput recently took over as head coach and will lead UAE throughout the tournament.
UAE are currently taking part in a tri-series with Pakistan and Afghanistan but have struggled to perform in the matches so far. This series will help the team identify areas where they need to improve and give them a chance to sharpen their skills, so they can bring their best game when they take the field in the Asia Cup.
UAE’s Squad for Asia Cup 2025
Muhammad Waseem (c), Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma (wk), Asif Khan, Dhruv Parashar, Ethan D’ Souza, Haider Ali, Harshit Kaushik, Junaid Siddique, Matiullah Khan, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Zohaib, Rahul Chopra (wk), Rohid Khan, Simranjeet Singh and Saghir Khan.
UAE Support Staff
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Team Manager | Amjad Ezzi |
| Head Coach | Lalchand Rajput |
| Strength & Conditioning Coach | Azharuddin Qureshi |
| Video Analyst | Manipreet Sidhu |
| Fielding Coach | Naveed Ahmad |
| Bowling Coach (Side-Armer) | Darshan Singh |
| Physiotherapist | Manish Pradeshi |
UAE Asia Cup 2025 Schedule
| Date | Opposition | Time (Local) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 10 | India | 8:00 PM | Dubai International Cricket Stadium |
| September 15 | Oman | 8:00 PM | Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi |
| September 17 | Pakistan | 8:00 PM | Dubai International Cricket Stadium |