Former opener Virender Sehwag has expressed strong confidence in Suryakumar Yadav-led India’s prospects for the Asia Cup 2025, citing several factors that position them as favorites to win the tournament.
The Asia Cup 2025 will be played in a T20 format, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from September 9 to 28 and it will serve as a preparatory ground for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
“We are world champions. We just won the World Cup, T20 World Cup and I am sure that we are the best team in the Asia Cup and hopefully we will win the Asia Cup,” Sehwag told Sony Sports Network, the official broadcaster of Asia Cup 2025.
“I think we have a very good side and Sky is leading from the front and he’s a top player in the T20 format. I’m sure that under his captaincy, we will do well because we’ve seen in the past when Sky has taken over, we won a lot of T20 games and I’m sure that we will win the Asia Cup also,” he added.
The former cricketer feels that the Asia Cup 2025 will be a good platform for the Indian team to check their strength for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
“I think in the T20 format, this Asia Cup can serve as a great preparation for our 2026 T20 World Cup. It’s an opportunity to see which new players should be given chances and who can be included in the squad. You can start building a team for the World Cup. In my opinion, there is no better opportunity for the Indian team to check its strength than the Asia Cup,” Sehwag said.
Responding to criticism and doubts over the squad selection, Sehwag said,”I think we have a very good T20 selector. I think we have a very good T20 side. Under Surya Kumar Yadav, we’ve done well in T20 matches and I am sure that he’ll get the best team that the selectors will give him, and hopefully we will win the Asia Cup this time.”
India will open their Asia Cup 2025 campaign against the UAE at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on September 10, followed by a high-stakes clash against Pakistan at the same venue on September 14, before facing Oman at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on September 19.