Afghanistan Confident Ahead of T20I Tri-Series and Asia Cup

Afghanistan’s all-rounder, Gulbadin Naib, has voiced his optimism regarding his team’s prospects as they prepare for the upcoming T20I tri-series against Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which will precede the Asia Cup 2025.

During an interview with an Indian sports outlet, Naib was questioned about Afghanistan’s chances of winning the tri-series.

“Our team members are playing exceptionally well, and considering the tri-series is being held in the UAE, I am confident that we will make it to the final,” Naib stated.

He further commented, “Pakistan is a formidable team, and the UAE has also been performing admirably recently. I have a strong conviction that the outcome will be favorable.”

When asked about whether he would prefer a victory over Pakistan or India, the right-handed batsman emphasized the team’s competitive spirit and enthusiasm for significant matches.

“I would be thrilled to defeat both teams. However, we particularly enjoy playing against India, especially after our last T20I ended in a tie. Having already secured a win against Pakistan, our next objective is India. We consistently enjoy playing in India because of the incredible support we receive from the fans.”

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has previously released the schedule for the upcoming T20I tri-nation series, which includes Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the UAE.

The series is scheduled from August 29 to September 7 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

The tri-series is an essential preparatory phase for all participating teams as they gear up for the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup, scheduled in the UAE from September 9 to 28.

Originally, Pakistan was scheduled to host Afghanistan for a bilateral T20I series in August. However, the PCB suggested converting it into a tri-nation series and relocating it to the UAE to create more suitable conditions for Asia Cup preparations.

The competition will commence on Thursday, August 29, with Pakistan facing Afghanistan at 7:00 PM local time. Each team will compete against the others twice before the top two teams proceed to the final on September 7.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) revealed a preliminary squad of 22 players for the tri-series and the Asia Cup on Monday.

Under the leadership of star spinner Rashid Khan, the squad will undergo a training and preparation camp lasting two weeks, after which the squad will be narrowed down to 15 players for the tournaments.

Afghanistan’s Preliminary Squad for T20I Tri-Series and Asia Cup 2025:

Rashid Khan (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Wafiullah Tarakhil, Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Mohammad Ishaq, Mohammad Nabi, Nangyal Kharoti, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mujeeb Zadran, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad Lakanwal, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Farid Malik, Saleem Safi, Abdullah Ahmadzai and Bashir Ahmad.