UAE T20I Tri-Series 2025: Afghanistan vs Pakistan | Match 01 | August 29 | Sharjah | Pre-Match Discussion

[The Bald Eagle]

The Pakistan vs Afghanistan match on August 29, 2025, is the opening match of a T20I tri-series involving Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the UAE. The tri-series will be played at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium from August 29 to September 7, 2025.

Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium, UAE

The tri-series is a preparatory tournament for the Asian Cricket Council Men’s T20 Asia Cup scheduled in the UAE from September 9 to 28, 2025. Each team in the tri-series plays the others twice, and the top two teams advance to the final on September 7.

Pakistan’s squad includes key players like Salman Agha (captain), Shaheen Shah Afridi, Fakhar Zaman, and Hasan Ali, among others. Afghanistan will look to gain momentum in the series as they haven't had many recent T20Is.

The match promises to be competitive as both teams prepare for the important Asia Cup and upcoming ICC events.

The match will start at 7 PM local time, running in evening sessions at Sharjah Cricket Stadium—an exciting contest to watch for fans of both sides.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

As Afghanistan are favorites, so Pakistan have a great chance to test young guns here before Asia cup. Sufiyan Muqeem needs real exposure
But I am sure Abrar is going to be preferred over him

 

[Slim]

Expect Pakistan to pound Afghanistan. I think normal service should resume now.

 

[Obaidd]

Will be good, I miss pak team already lol

 

[Major]

Supporting Afg.

 

[sweep_shot]

Should be a spicy contest.

Since it is Sharjah, I think Afghanistan are favorites. Sharjah tends to favor spinners.

 

[sweep_shot]

Supporting Afg.

LOL. Wow!

Why would you support against your own country?

 

[Major]

LOL. Wow!

Why would you support against your own country?

i always liked the afg team

 

[BouncerGuy]

Afghans are no joke in this format, and the Pakistan team is in shambles atm. We could see Afghanistan winning the whole thing...

Great game of cricket coming, I think.

 

[mominsaigol]

I think I am going to take a break from cricket for a while. I will watch ashes. Too much cricket in a few months span for me, and I am not a fan of t20 cricket

 

[Usman Chadda]

Afghanistan’s spinners will make life hell for our batsmen, these will be extremely difficult games.

 

[Aqib_mustafa]

Afghanistan’s spinners will make life hell for our batsmen, these will be extremely difficult games.

You are actung like pakistan don't have spinners abrar and sufiyan plus nawaz can make it even harder for afg.

 

[Rana]

Afghanistan’s spinners will make life hell for our batsmen, these will be extremely difficult games.

Hamare spinners ne bhi churriya nahi pehni hui.


Have faith. Afghanistan crap their pants against 145kmh+ bowling

 

[Aqib_mustafa]

Rana sahab we might see both sufiyan and abrar playing will be a great match.

 

[Rana]

Rana sahab we might see both sufiyan and abrar playing will be a great match.

We might not,

They may go for Wasim and Rauf+Shaheen combo


Afghanistan are BAD against good pace. They are better players of spin

 

[alishahid]

Saim
Farhan
Fakhar
Haris
Salman
H Nawaz
M Nawaz
Shaheen
Haris
Hasan Ali/Wasim
Muqeem/Abrar

We l most likely see this. Top 6-7 is almost a no brainer but the bowling might see regular changes

 

[Rana]

I forgot we had Salman Mirza

4 overs 3-20 kind of bowler for Pakistan against this lot

 

[Devadwal]

Backing Afghanistan to thrashed minnows Pakistan

 

[Obaidd]

Agha-Hesson duo is crushing this series/cup and the hype machines at PP will go crazy lol.

Genuinely want Agha to make the no 5 spot his own. Please no more intentful demotions. Up your SR game Agha.

 

[Ball Blazer]

Salman Mirza's media talk:
"The practice sessions are going really well. We have had one practice session, and after that, we played a match. So, to understand the whole situation and to get used to the environment, this is a very good opportunity for us and it will benefit us a lot.

I don’t consider myself an all-rounder at all. Yes, I can manage some batting, but I can’t call myself an all-rounder. Obviously, if the match comes down to me and I’m on the crease, then it’s my job to finish it. Although I couldn’t finish that practice match, it was still a good responsibility for me. If such a situation arises in real matches, then I should be able to handle it.

Agha bhai is a very positive person, very calm and composed. Even if he faces any difficulties, he doesn’t put pressure on anyone at that moment. Later, he discusses with you and sorts it out. The best thing is that it’s a young team going into the Asia Cup, and of course, every captain has to start from some event. So yes, this might be his first assignment, but we are fully hopeful of good results.

I don’t think it makes any difference. If such pressure games (Pak vs IND) come your way, that’s how you grow as a player. And it’s not just India — there are other opponents too, so we are preparing fully for them as well. Of course, the India match will be a big game, but our preparation is going really well, and god willing, you will see very good results.

The tri-nation will have some really good matches, it will be tough competition because those are home conditions for both teams. Afghanistan has played its home games here, and UAE, of course, is in its own home conditions. So, it will be a fantastic competition and everyone will get a full chance to prepare for the Asia Cup."

 

[Cricket Warrior]

I have a feeling Pakistan is going to lose this match because Afghanistan is too good... especially on the slow wickets of Sharjah.

 

[AZulfi]

Since our current pacers are not penetrative enough + generally very expensive (notably Haris Rauf and Hassan Ali), it's better to play two spinners - Abrar and Sufiyan

 

[RidiculousMan]

I have a feeling Pakistan is going to lose this match because Afghanistan is too good... especially on the slow wickets of Sharjah.

Very possible. The current team is not built for tricky 130-140 surfaces. They lost the series on tricky Bangladeshi surfaces.

 

[AZulfi]

I have a feeling Pakistan is going to lose this match because Afghanistan is too good... especially on the slow wickets of Sharjah.

esp. if we are chasing runs no matter what the total

 

[Usman Chadda]

I have a feeling Pakistan is going to lose this match because Afghanistan is too good... especially on the slow wickets of Sharjah.

Afghanistan is a decent LOI team and now that they have a good batting line-up to compliment their bowling attack, they look even better. It’s a seasoned team aswell compared to our boys.

 

[shamaan]

Saim
Farhaan
Fakhar
Salman
Hassan Nawaz
Muhammed Haris
Nawaz
Shaheen
Salman Mirza
Rauf
Sufiyaan

 

[Rana]

Afghanistan is a decent LOI team and now that they have a good batting line-up to compliment their bowling attack

Who are their good batsmen in T20i?

 

[sweep_shot]

Who are their good batsmen in T20i?

I think only Gurbaz. Rest seem more suited to ODI format.

Afghanistan's main strength is bowling (they have gun spinners and okay pacers).

 

[Rana]

I think only Gurbaz. Rest seem more suited to ODI format.

Afghanistan's main strength is bowling (they have gun spinners and okay pacers).

Gurbaz yes.

Omarzai isn’t too bad on his day

There improved T20 batters are Gulbuddin and Jannat.

Nabi can always add impact cameos. Same with RK but he is essentially a tailender.

It’s a team of impact cameos+ Gurbaz firing.

 

[Rana]

Gurbaz yes.

Omarzai isn’t too bad on his day

There improved T20 batters are Gulbuddin and Jannat.

Nabi can always add impact cameos. Same with RK but he is essentially a tailender.

It’s a team of impact cameos+ Gurbaz firing.

In comparison I recon Pakistan have some proper batters

1. Sahibzada Farhan right now is better than all of Afghanistan and UAE batters. I’m sure of this

2. Saim is a player who can take the game away from you

3. Fakhar, you can never predict the big man.

4. Hassan Nawaz, brutal on his day.


Guys like Harris, Khushdil and Faheem are unpredictable

 

[mominsaigol]

Gurbaz yes.

Omarzai isn’t too bad on his day

There improved T20 batters are Gulbuddin and Jannat.

Nabi can always add impact cameos. Same with RK but he is essentially a tailender.

It’s a team of impact cameos+ Gurbaz firing.

Isn't that what t20 is though? A team of impact cameos + one star batsmen?

 

[Rana]

Isn't that what t20 is though? A team of impact cameos + one star batsmen?

It is but it’s a bit too many hit and miss strategy. It works for them as long as their spinners lock down. Najibullah is a bit more dependable but he hasn’t been the same for some years now.

Teams like Australia, India, NZ, SA and England have proper batters throughout.

Although Afghanistan have Zadran but he isn’t really a T20 bat

 

[Rana]

You always miss a player like Shahid Afridi against Afghanistan

My man never gave a flying manji about a spinner’s reputation!

 

[cricfan432]

I recon afghanistan will try to bowl aggressive pakistan under 120 and chase target with their odi suited batsmen. Better for pakistan is to chase so we play according to target instead of trying to go all out from ball one and risk losing wickets on sharjah pitch.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

What a shame for Pakistan cricket
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[Vikram1989]

What a shame for Pakistan cricket
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View attachment 157177

What does he mean.will they loose finals against pak ?