Lalchand Rajput, the UAE’s head coach and a former Indian cricketer, believes his team has the power to surprise India and Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025.
UAE is grouped in Group A alongside India, Pakistan, and Oman.
Rajput stated that the players are focussing on improving their cricketing abilities, particularly their fielding, in order to face stronger opponents in the future.
“The UAE squad is drawn in a challenging Asia Cup group alongside India, Pakistan and Oman, but you never know — anything can happen. We can upset any team. We are focusing on skills, fitness, and fielding. Playing against better teams requires players to be mentally strong and physically fit. Fitness is very important. Players’ improvement and form are essential — they cannot remain stagnant. We want to keep building on the momentum,” stated Rajput, as quoted by Gulf News.
Rajput shared how UAE’s 2-1 win against Bangladesh in May served as a confidence-booster and how the players want to prove their worth in the upcoming tri-series involving Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“Beating Test-playing countries, especially Bangladesh, gave us a lot of confidence. It’s not about overconfidence — it’s about believing we can compete and win against anyone. Playing these top-ranked teams gives our players a big platform. It’s a chance to know themselves and build momentum heading into the Asia Cup. If you can beat a team like Bangladesh, why not aim for bigger upsets? Our players are excited and ready to take that challenge,” he added.
UAE’s last cricketing assignment was the Pearl of Africa T20I Series involving Uganda, Kenya and Nigeria. UAE finished runners-up after winning four out of six matches.
The last time UAE faced India and Pakistan in the 20-over format was the 2016 Asia Cup in Bangladesh. They were defeated by both teams by nine wickets and seven wickets, respectively.
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