Overview
- India’s 15-player Asia Cup squad announced on August 19 is led by Suryakumar Yadav with Shubman Gill as vice-captain, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Prasidh Krishna among five standbys.
- Shreyas Iyer’s omission despite a 604-run IPL 2025 season continues to draw criticism from former players such as Maninder Singh, while teammate Shardul Thakur voiced confidence in Iyer’s comeback without challenging selectors.
- Former Pakistan batter Bazid Khan said Suryakumar has not been effective against Pakistan, a view underscored by the captain’s T20I record of 64 runs at 12.80 in five games versus the rival.
- A viral clip shows Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf declaring “Dono apne hai, Inshallah” when asked about potentially facing India twice, adding fuel to the rivalry narrative ahead of the tournament.
- The Asia Cup runs September 9–28 in the UAE; India open on September 10 against the UAE and meet Pakistan on September 14 in Dubai, with a possible Super Four rematch if both advance.