The much-awaited Pakistan vs Afghanistan T20I clash is set to light up the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on 29 August 2025, marking the opening match of the Pakistan, Afghanistan, and UAE T20I Tri-Series. Cricket fans are eagerly waiting for this encounter, as it not only renews the exciting rivalry between the two nations but also serves as crucial preparation ahead of the Asia Cup 2025 and the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

This tri-series will see Pakistan, Afghanistan, and United Arab Emirates (UAE) face each other twice in the league stage, with the top two teams qualifying for the grand final on 7 September 2025.

The opening game between Pakistan and Afghanistan promises to be a thrilling battle — with Pakistan’s experienced stars like Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Mohammad Rizwan facing Afghanistan’s rising powerhouses Rashid Khan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and Mohammad Nabi.

Match Info

• Fixture: Pakistan vs Afghanistan
  
• Date: 29 August 2025
  
• Venue: To be announced (Asian neutral venue expected)
  
• Format: T20I / ODI (official confirmation awaited)
  
  

Pakistan vs Afghanistan – Squads for UAE T20I Tri-Series 2025

Pakistan Squad

Role	Players
Captain	Salman Ali Agha
Wicket-keeper	Mohammad Haris
Batters	Fakhar Zaman, Hussain Talat, Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Khushdil Shah
All-rounders	Salman Mirza, Sufyan Moqim, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Nawaz
Spinners	Abrar Ahmed
Pacers	Haris Rauf, Mohammad Waseem Jr., Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali

Afghanistan Squad

Role	Players
Captain	Rashid Khan
Wicket-keeper	Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Batters	Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Sediqullah Atal
All-rounders	Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi
Spinners	Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Sharafuddin Ashraf
Pacers	Fareed Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Allah Ghazanfar

Tri-Series Schedule (All Matches in Sharjah)

Date	Match	Time (Local)
29 Aug	Afghanistan vs Pakistan	7:30 PM
30 Aug	UAE vs Pakistan	7:30 PM
1 Sep	UAE vs Afghanistan	7:30 PM
2 Sep	Pakistan vs Afghanistan	7:30 PM
4 Sep	Pakistan vs UAE	7:30 PM
5 Sep	Afghanistan vs UAE	7:30 PM
7 Sep	Final (Top 2 Teams)	7:30 PM

Pakistan vs Afghanistan Head-to-Head Record in T20Is

Year	Tournament / Series	Venue	Result	Winner
2013	1st T20I (Bilateral)	Sharjah, UAE	Pakistan won by 6 wkts	Pakistan
2021	ICC T20 World Cup (Super 12)	Dubai, UAE	Pakistan won by 5 wkts	Pakistan
2023	T20I Series – 1st Match	Sharjah, UAE	Afghanistan won by 6 wkts	Afghanistan
2023	T20I Series – 2nd Match	Sharjah, UAE	Afghanistan won by 7 wkts	Afghanistan
2023	T20I Series – 3rd Match	Sharjah, UAE	Pakistan won by 66 runs	Pakistan

Overall Head-to-Head Stats

• Matches Played: 5
  
• Pakistan Wins: 3
  
• Afghanistan Wins: 2
  
• No Result: 0

Pakistan vs Afghanistan T20I Timeline (2013 – 2025)

Year	Tournament / Series	Venue	Key Highlights	Result
2013 (Dec)	1st Ever T20I (Bilateral)	Sharjah, UAE	Pakistan batted steadily; Hafeez starred with bat & ball	🇵🇰 Pakistan won by 6 wkts
2015–2020	No T20Is played	–	Teams didn’t meet in this phase	–
2021 (Oct)	ICC T20 World Cup (Super 12)	Dubai, UAE	Asif Ali smashed 4 sixes in 19th over off Karim Janat; Pakistan chased 148	🇵🇰 Pakistan won by 5 wkts
2022	Asia Cup Warm-up (Not official T20I)	Sharjah	Practice match before Asia Cup	–
2023 (Mar 1st T20I)	Afghanistan vs Pakistan T20I Series	Sharjah, UAE	Nabi & Ibrahim Zadran guided Afghanistan to first-ever T20I win over Pakistan	🇦🇫 Afghanistan won by 6 wkts
2023 (Mar 2nd T20I)	Afghanistan vs Pakistan T20I Series	Sharjah, UAE	Rashid Khan & Farooqi dominated; Pakistan collapsed again	🇦🇫 Afghanistan won by 7 wkts
2023 (Mar 3rd T20I)	Afghanistan vs Pakistan T20I Series	Sharjah, UAE	Youngsters Saim Ayub & Ihsanullah rescued Pakistan to avoid whitewash	🇵🇰 Pakistan won by 66 runs
2024	No bilateral T20I played	–	Teams focused on T20WC 2024 and Asia Cup	–
2025 (Upcoming)	T20I Tri-Series (Pak, Afg, UAE)	Sharjah, UAE	Opening match 29 August 2025: Pakistan vs Afghanistan	🏏 TBD

Key Players to Watch

• Pakistan: Babar Azam (anchoring role), Shaheen Afridi (new ball strike), Mohammad Rizwan (stability at the top).
  
• Afghanistan: Rashid Khan (match-winning all-rounder), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (explosive opener), Mohammad Nabi (experience in middle order).
  

Venue & Pitch Report

The Pakistan vs Afghanistan 29 August 2025 match is expected to be played at a subcontinental venue with batting-friendly . Spinners will play a major role in middle overs, while pacers like Shaheen Afridi and Fazalhaq Farooqi could get early swing under lights.

Predicted Playing XI

Pakistan Playing XI

Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Agha Salman, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Usama Mir.

Afghanistan Playing XI

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (C), Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb ur Rahman.

Conclusion

The Pakistan vs Afghanistan 29 August 2025 match promises to be a blockbuster contest. Pakistan will rely on their batting depth and pace attack, while Afghanistan will look to their spin trio of Rashid, Mujeeb, and Nabi to turn the game in their favor. With passionate fans, unpredictable moments, and high stakes, this encounter is set to be one of the highlights of the cricketing calendar.