UAE’s Asif confident ahead of Tri-Series clash with Afghanistan today

WEB DESK: After back-to-back defeats to Pakistan, both Afghanistan and the UAE will be desperate to secure a victory when they face off in the third match of the T20 tri-series in Sharjah. Pakistan, meanwhile, sit comfortably at the top with two commanding wins.

For the UAE, middle-order powerhouse Asif Khan is the man to watch. Despite their 31-run loss to Pakistan, Asif lit up the chase with a blistering 77 off just 35 balls, smashing six sixes and as many fours. His knock briefly put Pakistan under pressure before the innings lost steam due to lack of support at the other end.

“We have been playing good cricket in T20s recently, so confidence is high,” Asif told Gulf Today, adding: “We hope to play competitive cricket in the coming matches.”

As one of UAE’s most seasoned batters, Asif provides stability when captain Muhammad Waseem falls early. Against Pakistan, UAE were reeling at 54 for three when Asif, who was born in Lahore, took charge, holding the innings together and showcasing his ability to guide a young team in transition.

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“Waseem and I are the senior players. The coach wants us to take the youngsters along. That’s why I play down the order, to bring stability,” he explained.

However, Asif did not shy away from pointing to the bowlers’ shortcomings. “We know 170–180 is chaseable here. The plan was to restrict Pakistan, but we conceded 20–25 runs extra. That made it very difficult.”

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Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Hasan Nawaz, who hammered a 26-ball 56, brushed aside questions about the absence of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, insisting: “This is the best T20 team for Pakistan right now. Everyone is working very hard, and we’re looking forward to the Asia Cup after the tri-series.”

UAE 15-member squad

The UAE squad features a strong batting lineup led by captain and opener Muhammad Waseem, alongside Asif Khan, wicketkeeper-batters Rahul Chopra and Aryansh Sharma, youngster Ethan D’Souza, and opener Alishan Sharafu. The allrounders add depth with Harshit Kaushik, a left-handed batter and left-arm spinner, Muhammad Farooq, a middle-order batter and legbreak option, and Dhruv Parashar, a promising off-spinning allrounder. The bowling attack is spearheaded by experienced seamer Junaid Siddique and left-arm quick Muhammad Jawadullah, supported by left-arm spinners Haider Ali and Muhammad Rohid, off-spinner Muhammad Zohaib, and pacer Saghir Khan.

Afghanistan 16-member squad

Afghanistan have named a 16-member squad, featuring a blend of experience and youth. The batting unit includes Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Sediqullah Atal, and Mohammad Ishaq, while the all-rounders’ core is led by skipper Rashid Khan alongside Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Sharafuddin Ashraf. The bowling attack is spearheaded by Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad, and teenage spinner AM Ghazanfar, giving Afghanistan a balanced line-up for the tournament.

Tri-nation series schedule

• Monday, September 1 – UAE v Afghanistan – 7pm local time (today)
• Tuesday, September 2 – Pakistan v Afghanistan – 7pm local time
• Thursday, September 4 – Pakistan v UAE – 7pm local time
• Friday, September 5 – Afghanistan v UAE – 7pm local time
• Sunday, September 7 – Final – 7pm local time