The 2025 T20 Asia Cup begins on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi with Afghanistan facing Hong Kong, but the spotlight is firmly on Dubai, where India launch their campaign against the UAE, a day later. For most, this feels less like the start of a wide-open contest and more like the beginning of India’s juggernaut rolling towards yet another continental crown.
The Asia Cup may be billed as a tune-up for the upcoming 2026 T20 World Cup, but this edition of the continental championship feels like a foregone conclusion. India enter the tournament as overwhelming title favourites, armed with unmatched depth, a stable leadership group and a crystal-clear roadmap to next year’s T20 World Cup.
So assured are the chief selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir that they named only 15 players, leaving out proven names like Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal despite the Asian Cricket Council’s allowance for 17.
With eight Asia Cup titles (seven in ODIs and once in T20Is back in 2016) already in the bag, this is India’s tournament to lose. Anything short of a ninth will be seen as failure, particularly with the World Cup looming just four months away.
Leadership and depth
The spotlight is firmly on captain Suryakumar Yadav, who boasts an astonishing 80 per cent win record in charge. His partnership with the inclusion of Test skipper Shubman Gill as vice-captain, and largely seen as a future white-ball leader, will be closely monitored, particularly in how they align their leadership styles and vision for the team.
India’s fearless, IPL-honed brand of batting has only widened the gulf with traditional rivals, and made it more difficult for other Asian teams to replicate. While Pakistan and Sri Lanka once matched them, both now find themselves struggling to keep pace with India’s juggernaut.
Rivals in transition
Pakistan, led by Salman Ali Agha, enter the Asia Cup in transition. The bold decision to drop stalwarts Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan reflects a willingness to rebuild, but it also leaves them heavily reliant on Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Hasan Ali to contain India’s formidable batting order.
Sri Lanka, captained by Charith Asalanka, look promising but remain inconsistent, raising doubts about whether they can string together the six or seven high-quality performances needed to win a tournament of this length. Bangladesh, mercurial as ever, lack the firepower to sustain a challenge and appear destined to bow out early alongside Hong Kong in Group B.
That leaves Afghanistan as the one realistic stumbling block for India. With Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad and teenage spinner A. Ghazanfar leading a potent attack, they have the tools to slow the juggernaut, if only briefly. Having ended the 2024 T20 World Cup as the semifinalists, Afghanistan may not yet have India’s depth, but their ability to spring surprises makes them the most dangerous side.
Opportunity for Associates
For associate nations like UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong, the Asia Cup is less about silverware and more about measuring progress. The chance to bowl to Suryakumar Yadav or face Jasprit Bumrah offers invaluable experience and reflects the strides they have made in infrastructure and talent development in recent years.
Yet, for all the subplots, the broader storyline of the Asia Cup 2025 is more about which team has the arsenal to halt India’s march for a ninth title. All eyes will be on SKY and his forces as they begin their hunt on Wednesday.