The UAE cricket team, led by Muhammad Waseem, is returning to the Asia Cup after nine years. Their last appearance was in 2016, which also marked their entry after a nine-year hiatus. This time, they are placed in Group A alongside India, Pakistan, and Oman. Ahead of the Asia Cup 2025, here is a look at the UAE squad, their recent form, key players, their record in the Asia Cup, and their chance of winning.
UAE Asia Cup 2025 Squad
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.
Recent Form (T20Is)
The UAE cricket team has faced an inconsistent run in their last eight T20I matches, with three wins and five losses. This includes a 2-1 series victory against Bangladesh and mixed results in the Gulf T20I Championship 2024. They are currently 0-3 in the UAE T20I Tri-Series against Pakistan and Afghanistan.
While the UAE team has shown resilience in successful chases against Bangladesh, they have struggled against the stronger bowling attacks of Pakistan and Afghanistan, often collapsing under pressure. Their batting has been aggressive, but their bowling has lacked control against top-tier sides.
This form suggests a difficult start to the Asia Cup. With the likes of Muhammad Waseem, who has a strike rate of 140, and pacer Junaid Siddique, who boasts a bowling economy of 6.25, in the squad, the UAE team will hope to put up a strong fight. However, with no injury concerns, it's widely believed that they may struggle against top teams like India and Pakistan in Group A.
UAE Record in Asia Cup
United Arab Emirates has only played four matches in the Asia Cup (T20). Their last appearance was in the 2016 edition where they won one and lost three matches.
| Matches Played (Asia Cup T20) | 4 |
| Won | 1 |
| Lost | 3 |
| Best Performance | 2016 (Group Stage) |
UAE Chance of Winning Asia Cup 2025
The chances of winning is low, looking at their recent form as their inexperience stands, but they could beat Oman and finish 3rd in Group A. There will be a home advantage to them, but only if they could make it.
Chance of Winning: 4%
Where will they Finish: Group Stage
