Facing a double challenge of internal weaknesses and external controversies, Pakistan must significantly elevate their performance to overcome a determined UAE in a pivotal Group A match this Wednesday, September 17, 2025, in Dubai, aiming to keep their Asia Cup dreams alive.
Adding to their woes, the ‘Handshake Gate’ incident from their match against India on Monday, September 15, 2025, has led the PCB to demand the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft. Pakistani media reports even suggest a threat to withdraw from the tournament if their demand is not met.
Compounding the issue, Pycroft is slated to officiate as match referee for Pakistan’s decisive final league fixture.
Although this development appears to be largely an administrative matter with little chance of materializing, it undoubtedly creates a distracting environment that players will find difficult to ignore.
However, these off-field issues are just one facet of Pakistan’s predicament, as more urgent on-field challenges demand their attention.
With a record of one win and one loss from two matches, Pakistan currently holds the second position in Group A with two points, narrowly ahead of UAE (also two points) on net run rate (1.64 versus -2.03). A single misstep in this upcoming game could lead to their elimination from the tournament.
Their recent seven-wicket defeat against India exposed significant vulnerabilities within the Pakistani squad.
Following a dominant victory over minnows Oman, Pakistan received a harsh lesson in modern T20 cricket from the formidable world champions, India.
The Pakistani batsmen struggled to counter the cunning spin of India’s Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, who collectively claimed five crucial wickets.
Furthermore, spinner Varun Chakravarthy also proved to be a difficult challenge for Pakistan’s batting lineup.
This performance highlighted the critical need for Pakistan’s promising young talents, including Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, and Hasan Nawaz, to elevate their game when facing elite opposition.
The upcoming clash against the UAE presents an ideal opportunity for them to regain momentum and secure their spot in the Super 4s, especially since India has already advanced from this group.
On the bowling front, Pakistan’s attack also faltered against the aggressive and skillful Indian batsmen. Abhishek Sharma effectively dismantled Shaheen Shah Afridi’s spell, while captain Suryakumar Yadav finished the innings with his characteristic flair.
While leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed delivered a respectable performance, other key bowlers like Mohammad Nawaz, whom coach Mike Hesson praised as the world’s best spinner, and Sufiyan Muqeem will need to step up their game in this crucial encounter.
Although the UAE may not possess the same cricketing prowess as India, they are certainly capable of delivering an upset on their best day.
The UAE squad showed signs of recovery after their heavy defeat to India, bouncing back with a convincing 42-run victory against Oman.
Experienced T20 batters such as captain Mohammed Waseem and Alishan Sharafu will be keen to exploit any signs of distraction within the Pakistani team.
Their bowling attack features the lively pace of Junaid Siddique and the economical left-arm spin of Haider Ali, though both will need greater support from their spin colleagues, Dhruv Parashar and Harshit Kaushik.
Team Lineups:
Pakistan Squad: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Waseem Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Afridi, Sufyan Moqim.
United Arab Emirates Squad: Muhammad Waseem (captain), Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma, Asif Khan, Dhruv Parashar, Ethan D’Souza, Haider Ali, Harshit Kaushik, Junaid Siddique, Matiullah Khan, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Zohaib, Rahul Chopra, Rohid Khan, Simranjeet Singh, Saghir Khan.
The match is scheduled to commence at 8:00 p.m. IST.