UAE Wins Toss, Opts to Bowl First Against Pakistan in Thrilling Asia Cup 2025 Clash
In a high-stakes Asia Cup 2025 showdown at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) won the toss and chose to field first against Pakistan in Group A Match 10. The game kicked off at 7:30 PM local time (9:00 PM IST) after a one-hour delay, keeping cricket fans on the edge of their seats.
Both teams shuffled their line-ups to gear up for this do-or-die battle. Pakistan brought in fast bowler Haris Rauf for Sufiyan Muqeem and all-rounder Khushdil Shah in place of Faheem Ashraf. On the UAE side, Simranjeet Singh replaced Muhammad Jawadullah to strengthen their attack.
UAE skipper Muhammad Waseem kept it straightforward: "We’re bowling first. Dew could be a factor tonight, and it’s make-or-break for both sides. Our plan is to keep Pakistan’s score low. We had a solid outing in Abu Dhabi, but today we’ve tweaked our strategy—Jawadullah’s out, Simranjeet’s in."
Pakistan captain Agha Salman admitted they preferred batting but respected the call. "Honestly, we wanted to bat first, but it’s not the end of the world. UAE is a strong team, so we need to stick to our plans longer. We’ve made two changes: Haris Rauf steps in for Sufiyan, and Khushdil Shah replaces Faheem Ashraf."
The toss drama was just the start. Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) held back the team from heading to the stadium, sparking rumors of a withdrawal from the Asia Cup. This stemmed from tensions after Pakistan’s league match against India on September 14, where Indian players skipped the post-match handshake. PCB chair Mohsin Naqvi took to social media, urging the team to head to Dubai Stadium and promising updates soon.
PCB fired off a strong statement, highlighting ICC match referee Andy Pycroft’s apology to Pakistan’s manager and captain. Pycroft had blocked the India-Pakistan captains from shaking hands, calling it a "miscommunication." The ICC now plans to probe the code of conduct breach from that fiery encounter.
As the Asia Cup 2025 heats up, all eyes are on how UAE’s bowlers tackle Pakistan’s batting firepower. Here’s the full playing XI for both sides:
UAE Playing XI: Alishan Sharafu, Muhammad Waseem (c), Asif Khan, Mohammad Zuhaib Khan, Harshit Kaushik, Rahul Chopra (wk), Dhruv Parashar, Haider Ali, Muhammad Rohid Khan, Simranjeet Singh Kang, Junaid Siddique.
Pakistan Playing XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (c), Khushdil Shah, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf.
Stay tuned for live updates as this Pakistan vs UAE Asia Cup 2025 match unfolds—who will grab the crucial points in Group A?
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