Lalchand Rajput, the head coach of the UAE and a former Indian cricket player, revealed that his team has the potential to surprise both India and Pakistan in the 2025 Asia Cup.
The UAE, India, Pakistan, and Oman are all in Group A.
According to Rajput, in order to face more formidable opponents in the future, the players are focussing on improving their cricketing abilities, particularly their fielding.
“The UAE team is placed in a difficult Asia Cup group with Oman, Pakistan, and India, but anything can happen. Any team can be upset by us. Our priorities are fielding, fitness, and skills. Players must be physically and mentally strong to compete against superior teams. Being fit is crucial. Players cannot be stationary; they must improve and enhance their form. “We want to continue building on the momentum,” Rajput said, according to Gulf News.
Rajput explained that the players aim to establish themselves in the forthcoming tri-series against Pakistan and Afghanistan and that the UAE’s 2-1 victory over Bangladesh in May gave them more confidence.
“We gained a lot of confidence after defeating Test-playing nations, particularly Bangladesh. It’s about thinking we can compete and defeat anyone, not about being overconfident. Our players have a huge platform when they play these highly regarded clubs. It’s an opportunity to get to know oneself and gain momentum before the Asia Cup. Why not go for more significant upsets if you can defeat a team like Bangladesh? He continued, “Our guys are eager and prepared to take on that challenge.
The Pearl of Africa T20I Series, which featured Uganda, Kenya, and Nigeria, was the UAE’s final cricketing duty. UAE won four of their six games and finished in second place.
The 2016 Asia Cup in Bangladesh was the last time the UAE played India and Pakistan in the 20-over format. Both teams defeated them by a combined total of nine and seven wickets.
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