India’s Rohan Pandit, Virender Sharma among Asia Cup match officials

Indian umpires Rohan Pandit and Virender Sharma will be part of the match officials panel named for the Asia Cup 2025, beginning Tuesday.

In the continental opener, Afghanistan will take on Hong Kong China in a Group B clash at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi.

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Seasoned match referees Richie Richardson and Andy Pycroft will lead the match officials’ team for the tournament. The match officials’ list for the Super Four and the tournament final will be announced later, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) said on Monday.

The umpires set to officiate the tournament include Ahmad Pakteen (Afghanistan), Asif Yaqoob (Pakistan), Faisal Afridi (Pakistan), Gazi Sohel (Bangladesh), Izatullah Safi (Afghanistan), Masudur Rahman (Bangladesh), Raveendra Wimalasiri (Sri Lanka), Rohan Pandit (India), Ruchira Palliyaguruge (Sri Lanka) and Virender Sharma (India).

Placed in Group A, India will kickstart its campaign against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, before taking on arch-rivals Pakistan in a high-octane encounter at the same venue on Sunday (September 14). The Surya Kumar Yadav-led outfit will wrap up their group stage campaign with a match against Oman at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Friday (September 19).

The 17th edition of the Asia Cup marks India’s first T20I outing since winning the home series against England by 4-1 in January. The tournament also serves as a crucial build-up platform for next year’s T20 World Cup, to be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, where the Men-in-Blue will enter as the defending champions.

It will also be the first major T20I tournament for the Indian side post the retirements of senior duo Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja, who announced their retirements after last year’s World Cup triumph in the Americas. The prolific batting pair of Rohit and Virat later went on bring the curtains to their Test careers before the England tour which now only limits their international appearances only in the 50-over format.