Dubai: India has emerged as the top team in Group A of the Asia Cup 2025, having triumphed over the UAE, Pakistan, and Oman. The squad, captained by Suryakumar Yadav, demonstrated strong performances in their initial matches; however, they faced challenges against Oman while experimenting with batting positions.
In this match, wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson was positioned at number three, with Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel batting at four and five, respectively. Notably, Tilak Varma was placed at number seven, and Suryakumar did not bat in this game. Although these changes put the Indian side in a precarious situation at times, they successfully secured the win in Abu Dhabi.
India is set to play arch-rivals Pakistan again on September 21 in Dubai. The last encounter between the two teams saw the Indian players decline to shake hands with captain Salman Agha’s squad, which reportedly unsettled the Pakistan team. There were even considerations from the Pakistan side to boycott the Asia Cup but they ultimately participated and won their match against the UAE to qualify for the Super 4s.
From the opposite group, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have joined the Super 4, while Afghanistan, previously considered a strong contender, was eliminated following losses to both Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka, like India, remains unbeaten in the tournament.
In the Super 4 round, each team will compete against one another, and the top two teams will advance to the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 Schedule:
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| September 20 | Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh | Dubai |
| September 21 | India vs Pakistan | Dubai |
| September 23 | Pakistan vs Sri Lanka | Abu Dhabi |
| September 24 | India vs Bangladesh | Dubai |
| September 25 | Pakistan vs Bangladesh | Dubai |
| September 26 | India vs Sri Lanka | Dubai |
| September 28 | Final | Dubai |
