The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) on Wednesday unveiled a 15-man squad for the upcoming tri-series against Pakistan and Afghanistan in Sharjah — a crucial preparation window before the Asia Cup 2025.
While this squad will feature in the tri-series beginning next week, the ECB confirmed that a separate announcement will be made for the Asia Cup squad. However, insiders suggest that most of these names will form the core of UAE’s campaign in the continental tournament.
Captain Muhammad Waseem will once again lead the side, with all-rounder Basil Hameed serving as his deputy. The return of experienced pacer Junaid Siddique adds depth to the bowling unit, while young batter Harshit Kaushik has been rewarded for his recent domestic form.
Speaking about the selection, a board official noted, “This tri-series gives us the perfect opportunity to test combinations before heading into the Asia Cup. We want the players to experience pressure situations against top-quality opposition.”
The UAE are drawn in Group B of the Asia Cup alongside Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, a challenging path that makes the tri-series all the more vital for fine-tuning balance and strategy.
UAE Squad for Tri-Series vs Pakistan & Afghanistan
Muhammad Waseem (capt), Basil Hameed (vc), Asif Khan, Aryan Lakra, Aayan Afzal Khan, Junaid Siddique, Zahoor Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Rohan Mustafa, Harshit Kaushik, Vriitya Aravind (wk), Sanchit Sharma, Fahad Nawaz, Karthik Meiyappan, Sabir Ali.
