Asia Cup 2025 Dark Horses: Teams that could surprise everyone

Published - 10 Sept 2025, 16:56 IST | Updated - 10 Sept 2025, 16:57 IST

The 17th edition of the Asia Cup will run from September 9 to 28, with all the matches to be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This is only the third time the tournament is being held in the T20 format after 2016 and 2022.

India are the favourites heading into the event, having won the coveted title a record eight times. Sri Lanka are also a force to reckon with, having won the title six times, including the previous T20 Asia Cup in 2022.

This year, both the teams are placed in different groups. While Group A consists of India, Pakistan, the UAE, and Oman, Group B comprises Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong. On that note, let's take a look at three teams that could be dark horses in the Asia Cup 2025.

The UAE have done well to play some games against top teams in world cricket in the lead-up to the tournament. They recently hosted Afghanistan and Pakistan in a tri-series. While they failed to win a match, they did show signs of promise and gave both teams a scare in a couple of games.

The UAE will have eyes on the clash against Oman in group, as they have the potential to beat them. Further, an upset over either India or Pakistan could help them push for a spot in the Super-Four stage of the tournament. While beating India might be tough because the Men in Blue have been in red-hot form in the shortest format of late, they could get the better of an inconsistent Pakistan team by bringing their A-game on matchday.