NEW DELHI: India will kick off their Asia Cup 2025 journey against hosts UAE on September 10 at the Dubai International Stadium, before a high-octane clash with arch-rivals Pakistan on September 14. The tournament marks India’s return to T20I cricket after a seven-month break, making their playing XI selection a major talking point.Vice-captain Shubman Gill’s comeback is expected to reshape the batting order. Gill is likely to open alongside Abhishek Sharma, while Jitesh Sharma will replace Sanju Samson as the first-choice wicketkeeper, could slot in at No. 6 or 7 depending on the team’s strategy. The middle order will feature captain Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Verma, and all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel.The addition of Rinku Singh strengthens India’s lower-order batting, while Abhishek’s part-time spin provides crucial balance.In bowling, Jasprit Bumrah and mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy are near certainties. The final spot is expected to be a toss-up between left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh and spinner Kuldeep Yadav. Given Dubai’s spin-friendly surfaces, Kuldeep may have the edge, adding variety to India’s attack.India head into the tournament with a formidable record. Since the Asia Cup’s inception in 1984, they remain the most successful team across formats with eight titles to their name.
Asia Cup 2025 – India’s probable XI vs UAE
Shubman Gill (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Verma, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh
Asia Cup groups
Group A: India, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, OmanGroup B: Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Hong Kong
Asia Cup venues:
Dubai International Cricket Stadium, DubaiSheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Asia Cup Match Dates, Venues and Timings
| Date | Match | Venue | Time (IST) | Time (USA – ET) | Time (UK – BST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 09 (Tue) | Afghanistan vs Hong Kong, 1st Match, Group B | Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi | 8:00 PM | 10:30 AM | 3:30 PM |
| Sep 10 (Wed) | India vs United Arab Emirates, 2nd Match, Group A | Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai | 8:00 PM | 10:30 AM | 3:30 PM |
| Sep 11 (Thu) | Bangladesh vs Hong Kong, 3rd Match, Group B | Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi | 8:00 PM | 10:30 AM | 3:30 PM |
| Sep 12 (Fri) | Pakistan vs Oman, 4th Match, Group A | Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai | 8:00 PM | 10:30 AM | 3:30 PM |
| Sep 13 (Sat) | Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka, 5th Match, Group B | Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi | 8:00 PM | 10:30 AM | 3:30 PM |
| Sep 14 (Sun) | India vs Pakistan, 6th Match, Group A | Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai | 8:00 PM | 10:30 AM | 3:30 PM |
| Sep 15 (Mon) | UAE vs Oman, 7th Match, Group A | Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi | 5:30 PM | 8:00 AM | 1:00 PM |
| Sep 15 (Mon) | Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong, 8th Match, Group B | Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai | 8:00 PM | 10:30 AM | 3:30 PM |
| Sep 16 (Tue) | Bangladesh vs Afghanistan, 9th Match, Group B | Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi | 8:00 PM | 10:30 AM | 3:30 PM |
| Sep 17 (Wed) | Pakistan vs UAE, 10th Match, Group A | Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai | 8:00 PM | 10:30 AM | 3:30 PM |
| Sep 18 (Thu) | Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan, 11th Match, Group B | Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi | 8:00 PM | 10:30 AM | 3:30 PM |
| Sep 19 (Fri) | India vs Oman, 12th Match, Group A | Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi | 8:00 PM | 10:30 AM | 3:30 PM |
| Sep 20 (Sat) | Super Four, Match 1 (B1 vs B2) | Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai | 8:00 PM | 10:30 AM | 3:30 PM |
| Sep 21 (Sun) | Super Four, Match 2 (A1 vs A2) | Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai | 8:00 PM | 10:30 AM | 3:30 PM |
| Sep 23 (Tue) | Super Four, Match 3 (A2 vs B1) | Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi | 8:00 PM | 10:30 AM | 3:30 PM |
| Sep 24 (Wed) | Super Four, Match 4 (A1 vs B2) | Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai | 8:00 PM | 10:30 AM | 3:30 PM |
| Sep 25 (Thu) | Super Four, Match 5 (A2 vs B2) | Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai | 8:00 PM | 10:30 AM | 3:30 PM |
| Sep 26 (Fri) | Super Four, Match 6 (A1 vs B1) | Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai | 8:00 PM | 10:30 AM | 3:30 PM |
| Sep 28 (Sun) | Final | Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai | 8:00 PM | 10:30 AM | 3:30 PM |
Asia Cup Live telecast and streaming
All matches of the Asia Cup 2025 will be broadcast live on the Sony Sports Network in India. Fans can also catch the live streaming on the Sony LIV app and website.
Asia Cup 2025 squads
India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, Rinku SinghUnited Arab Emirates: Muhammad Waseem (c), Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma, Asif Khan, Dhruv Parashar, Ethan D’Souza, Haider Ali, Harshit Kaushik, Junaid Siddique, Matiullah Khan, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Zohaib, Rahul Chopra, Rohid Khan, Simranjeet Singh, Saghir Khan
