Asia Cup 2025 Captains Press Conference Live Updates

The Asia Cup 2025 is all set to kick off, and the captains of all eight participating teams faced the media in the pre-tournament curtain-raiser press conference today. Leaders from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong shared their thoughts ahead of the first matches of the tournament.

Key Highlights from the Press Conference:

Suryakumar Yadav (India): Confident about team preparations and focused on setting the tone in the opener against UAE. Kept tight-lipped on Sanju Samson’s spot in the playing XI.
Salman Ali Agha (Pakistan): Expressed confidence after recent results, highlighting the aggressive batting lineup. Confirmed no Babar Azam or Mohammad Rizwan for the opener.
Rashid Khan (Afghanistan): Shared a motivational message, emphasizing readiness to continue Afghanistan’s strong T20I form.
Non-Test sides (UAE, Oman, Hong Kong): Looking to make an impact and create upsets in the fast-paced tournament.

Tournament Details:

Group A: India, Pakistan, UAE, Oman
Group B: Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong
Opening Match: Afghanistan vs Hong Kong, September 10, Abu Dhabi
India’s Asia Cup Start: India vs UAE, September 11, Dubai
Super Four Stage: Begins September 20, Dubai
Final: September 28

Fans can expect high-intensity action, thrilling matchups, and unpredictable T20 moments as teams aim to advance to the Super Four stage and ultimately lift the Asia Cup trophy.

DP World Asia Cup 2025 – Captains Press Conference Live Updates

12:56 PM IST: Surya Confident About Preparations!

Suryakumar Yadav asserted that India have prepared well for the multi-nation event by reaching the UAE early for training.

The team has been training relentlessly as the squad reunited in T20Is after a considerable gap.

12:49 PM IST: Salman Confident After Recent Results!

Salman Ali Agha is happy with his team’s recent performances as Pakistan recently won the tri-series in the UAE.

He said the Pakistan team is ready for the big challenge.

12:48 PM IST: SKY Praises UAE!

Suryakumar Yadav praised UAE for playing an exciting brand of cricket recently.

He wishes the UAE skipper and his team all the best.

12:45 PM IST: Rashid Khan Sends a Message!

Rashid Khan has sent a straightforward message that his team is going to put in the hard work and aim to challenge for the coveted trophy.

12:44 PM IST: Surya Ready for the Challenge!

Suryakumar Yadav said it is going to be a great challenge as he is ready to defend the title with the Indian team.

12:39 PM IST: SKY and Others Arrive!

Suryakumar Yadav, Rashid Khan, and other team skippers have arrived for the press conference.

Mohsin Naqi unveiled the Asia Cup trophy. Surya and Rashid are placed in the middle seats here.

12:31 PM IST: Presser to Begin Soon!

The press conference is expected to start any minute here.

It was scheduled for 1:00 PM IST.

12:17 PM IST: No Babar, Rizwan for Pakistan!

With former skippers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan left out of the current setup, Pakistan will be banking heavily on their new-look batting unit to deliver.

The onus will fall on emerging stroke-makers and the experienced middle-order to step up consistently, especially when tested against stronger bowling attacks in the Asia Cup.

12:03 PM IST: Bumrah Back in T20Is!

With an eye on the T20 World Cup next year, India gave an indication of how seriously they view the tournament when they picked pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.

The 31-year-old has played sparingly to manage his all-format workload, and India will hope to benefit from the wily seamer’s craft both in the powerplay and the death overs.

11:51 AM IST: IND Bowling Combination Not Finalised!

Ahead of Team India’s campaign opener against UAE scheduled for Wednesday, Indian bowling coach Morne Morkel said that the decision about the bowling combination will be taken after having a look at the wicket.

“We need to go and look at the wicket. I think when the Champions Trophy was played at that time, there was a lot of cricket on the surfaces here and they looked a little bit tired,” he said.

11:29 AM IST: Non-Test Playing Teams Look to Impress!

UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong would be aiming to spring up a few surprises and cause a few upsets.

This would add further to the theatre, the cinema, which T20 cricket brings thanks to its short, high-pace, and unpredictable nature.

11:13 AM IST: India Start Campaign vs UAE!

India’s clash with UAE will serve as a warm-up ahead of the marquee fixture against Pakistan on 14 September.

For the Indian think-tank, it offers a chance to test combinations that could be relied upon later in the competition. For the hosts, meanwhile, it represents the biggest game of their careers. Few associate players ever get the chance to bowl to someone like Shubman Gill or face a Jasprit Bumrah, and the Asia Cup provides a rare opportunity to step into cricket’s elite atmosphere.

11:00 AM IST: Defending Champs IND Start Favourites!

Suryakumar Yadav’s India side will be focused on defending their Asia Cup title while also keeping an eye on next year’s T20 World Cup, which it is co-hosting.

India will open their Group A campaign against the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday.

10:49 AM IST: Last Time When Asia Cup Was Played in T20 Format!

The previous Asia Cup in the T20 format took place in 2022, with Sri Lanka defeating Pakistan in the final.

This edition serves as a warm-up for the T20 World Cup next February, where India will host matches on home soil while Pakistan will play their fixtures in Sri Lanka. Since 2016, the Asia Cup has alternated between ODI and T20 formats, beginning with India’s T20 triumph in Bangladesh.