Who Are the New Additions to UAE’s Squad for the Asia Cup?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Matiullah Khan joins the UAE squad to enhance their bowling strength.
- Simranjeet Singh adds depth to the spin department.
- The UAE's last Asia Cup appearance was in 2016.
- The tournament takes place from September 9-28 in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
- UAE aims to progress to the Super Four stage.
Dubai, Sep 4 (NationPress) The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has bolstered its squad for the upcoming Asia Cup by including fast bowler Matiullah Khan and left-arm spinner Simranjeet Singh. This prestigious tournament is scheduled to take place from September 9 to 28 in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The remainder of the squad mirrors that chosen for their ongoing tri-series against Pakistan and Afghanistan in Sharjah. Matiullah has participated in one ODI and five T20Is for the UAE, with his most recent international appearance in a T20 match against Nigeria during the Pearl of Africa Series in July.
Simranjeet, on the other hand, has played five ODIs and 11 T20Is, with his last international appearance in the T20 format occurring in December 2024 during the Gulf T20I Championship. The UAE last competed in the Asia Cup back in 2016 in Bangladesh, marking the first time the event was held in T20I format.
Under the guidance of former India opener Lalchand Rajput, the UAE finds itself in Group A alongside India, Oman, and Pakistan. The UAE will kick off their campaign against India at the Dubai International Stadium on September 10. They will then clash with Oman at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on September 15, before concluding their group stage against Pakistan in Dubai on September 17.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the Super Four stage starting September 21, with the top teams from that stage competing in the title match, set for September 28 in Dubai.
UAE Squad: Muhammad Waseem (captain), Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Asif Khan, Dhruv Parashar, Ethan D’ Souza, Haider Ali, Harshit Kaushik, Junaid Siddique, Matiullah Khan, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Zohaib, Rahul Chopra (wicketkeeper), Rohid Khan, Simranjeet Singh, and Saghir Khan.