Pakistan, UAE and Afghanistan will clash in a T20I tri-series in Sharjah before the Asia Cup 2025.
This tri-series will serve as practice for the three teams ahead of the Asia Cup 2025 tournament that will be played in T20 format in the UAE from September 9 onwards. Pakistan and the UAE, along with Oman, have been placed in Group A with India. Afghanistan is in Group B with Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Hong Kong.
In the months leading up to the Asia Cup, the Pakistani cricket team has undergone a significant transformation, led by T20I skipper Salman Ali Agha. The management is eager to support a youthful team led by Agha; therefore, former captains Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are no longer included in the T20I lineup.
Afghanistan comes in as the top team, fresh off of a historic semifinal appearance in the 2024 T20 World Cup, where they shocked Australia and New Zealand.
During a press conference on Thursday, a Pakistani journalist asked about Afghanistan's ranking as the T20 World Cup's second-best team, behind winners India.
Even though the question was directed at Rashid Khan, Agha was clearly annoyed by it and responded with a sneer. On social media, a video of the same thing has gone viral.