
PBKS Star Set To Return For Asia Cup 2025; Gill And Jaiswal Unlikely: Report
In his last white-ball tournament for India, which was in the Champions Trophy 2025, Iyer played five matches in Dubai and scored 243 runs to finish as India's highest run getter. The 2025 edition of the Asia Cup is also scheduled to take place in Dubai and Abu Dhabi from September 9 to 28.

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Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Empty slots: Players in contention for the last two spots for India in Asia Cup squad
While most names in the Asia Cup squad may face little debate, two spots may prompt some discussion when the selection panel meets on Tuesday. Here's looking at the choices and what they bring to the table: Mohammed Siraj: After his indefatigable display in England, the only logic that should keep him out of the squad would be the much-debated workload management. If there's any player deserving of a rest, it's Siraj, who played every match of the five-Test series, bowled the most overs and got the most wickets and was instrumental in India earning a share of the spoils. Crucially, he ran in from his first ball to his last, and never let up in pace. Harshit Rana: He is known to lose pace and energy in later spells, but shouldn't have much trouble in managing four overs. He has caught the eye with wicket-taking spells for both franchise and country, and isn't lacking in aggression, as he showed in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy opener in Perth late last year, before losing his wheels in Adelaide. Head coach Gautam Gambhir has seen what he is capable of while being in charge of Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. Prasidh Krishna: He got better as the England series progressed, but is known to thrive more in conditions that offer bounce and some lateral movement. The tall pacer has got all the tools, but whether he would be the ideal bowler for the pitches in Dubai is debatable. His best performances in an India shirt have come when he has been handed responsibility, often in Jasprit Bumrah's absence, as was seen in Sydney and more recently at The Oval. Shreyas Iyer: If the selectors take a call on pure batting pedigree, they don't have to look beyond the player who led two different franchises, both with the willow especially against spin and his leadership, to IPL finals in two successive seasons. He brings calm and game awareness and can set the game up and also finish it. Shreyas has developed a swagger of late and commands respect in whichever dressing room he finds himself in. The player who defined the last IPL should logically be in the Indian T20 side. Rinku Singh: He has been designated a finisher by his IPL team as well as when he has turned out in India colours, often limiting the number of balls he gets to face. Winning a game for his team by hitting five successive sixes in the final over is a rare occurrence, and that freak achievement, while bringing him into the national spotlight, has pigeon-holed him as an endgame player. It doesn't help that Gambhir doesn't like to designate any player as a finisher in his team. Riyan Parag: He has been earmarked as a promising talent but has not quite delivered, at least not on a consistent basis. He has played the odd impressive knock for Rajasthan Royals, but is not known to win games for his side. The Assam player has a second string to his bow in the form of his part-time off-spin, but that's usually good for only a couple of overs. Selectors have been waiting for the 23-year-old to show a mature head on his shoulders to stake a viable claim to a spot in the national side. Washington Sundar: He did all that was asked of him in England – save a Test, hit some big blows in the company of the tail making the vital difference between victory and defeat, while getting crucial wickets with his underrated off-spin. His skill-set would be useful in Dubai, and he was part of the side that won the ICC Champions Trophy there earlier this year. It helps that Gambhir is fond of depth, in both batting and bowling.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Asia Cup: 'Stop calling them key players' – Mohammad Hafeez slams Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan after Pakistan squad snub
Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan (Getty Images) For years, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have been seen as the backbone of Pakistan's batting unit. But with both senior batters left out of the squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, questions over their place in the T20 setup have resurfaced. Former Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has now added fuel to the debate, bluntly declaring that the duo no longer qualify as 'key players' for the national side. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Speaking on his YouTube channel, Hafeez argued that the 'key player' tag belongs only to those consistently winning matches for Pakistan — a category he believes neither Babar nor Rizwan currently fit into. 'Calling them key players would be wrong and unfair. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are not Pakistan cricket's key players at the moment. Key players are those who win matches for Pakistan,' he said. Instead, Hafeez pointed to a new generation of performers carrying the team's fight in recent times. 'If we look at the past year and a half to two years, the players showing consistent performance are Salman Ali Agha, Saeem Ayub and Hasan Nawaz. Why aren't we talking about them? They are the current players winning matches for Pakistan' he added. Hafeez stressed that the senior batters must re-earn their reputations. 'I think Babar and Rizwan need to be concerned about their positions in the team. They need to prove themselves as good players first; key players come later. Both were good in the past, but now they are not delivering results,' he remarked. Even Pakistan's bowling spearheads did not escape Hafeez's assessment. 'The same goes for Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi, they are also not giving match-winning performances for Pakistan,' he said, before urging the board to adopt a long-term vision. 'We should focus on players who can contribute for the next 10–15 years. Our media criticises one or two players and hypes one or two others, which is wrong. We need to talk about those who are actually performing,' Hafeez concluded. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!


News18
an hour ago
- News18
TV Ads To Cost Rs 16 Lakh/10 Second For India Matches In Asia Cup 2025: Report
Last Updated: India will face Pakistan in the high-voltage Asia Cup 2025 Group A match on September 14 in Dubai. Indian men's cricket team will face arch-rivals Pakistan in the Group A match of the Asia Cup 2025 on September 14. The high-voltage match is scheduled to take place at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. In India, the live telecast and streaming rights of Asia Cup 2025 are with Sony Sports Network and according to a report in Economic Times, the ad inventory for India's Asia Cup 2025 matches has been priced at Rs 14-16 lakh per 10-second slot. As per the ad card rate issued to advertisers by official media rights holder Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI), a 10-second ad on TV during India-Pakistan match will cost Rs 16 lakh. • Co-presenting sponsorship: ₹18 crore • Associate sponsorship: ₹13 crore • Spot-buy package (all India and non-India games): ₹16 lakh per 10 seconds, or ₹4.48 crore Digital deals on Sony LIV • Pre-rolls: ₹275 per 10 seconds (₹500 for India games; ₹750 for India-Pakistan) • Mid-rolls: ₹225 (₹400 for India games; ₹600 for India-Pakistan) • Connected TV ads: ₹450 (₹800 for India games; ₹1,200 for India-Pakistan) The matches in the Asia Cup 2025, which is set to run from September 9 to 28, will be played in the T20I format. Dubai and Abu Dhabi will host the 19 matches between eight teams. Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai will host the high-voltage India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 match on Sunday, September 14. India's first Group A match of the Asia Cup 2025 against the United Arab Emirates is also scheduled to take place in Dubai on September 10, and the last group stage fixture against Oman will be played in Abu Dhabi on September 19. One Super Fours match (on September 22 between A2 and B1) will also take place in Abu Dhabi, whereas the remaining five Super Fours matches and the final (on September 28) are scheduled in Dubai. Five out of six Group B and two Group A matches (UAE vs Oman and India vs Oman) will take place in Abu Dubai. In the Asia Cup 2025, India, Pakistan, UAE, and Oman are part of Group A, and Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong are part of Group B. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super Fours. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.