A veteran of franchise leagues worldwide, Rashid framed it as part of cricket’s modern grind.

Skippers from Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Oman, UAE and Hong Kong stood together with the glittering prize.

Once underdogs, Afghanistan now stride into the Asia Cup with fire in their belly and eyes on the prize. Explosive openers, a lethal spin arsenal, and a squad that thrives under pressure make them a team ready to shake up Asia’s cricketing heavyweights.

The weight of captaincy in any sport compounds exponentially under the bright lights of a major tournament. On top of that, if the captain has not experienced the pressure of leading in that event before, it should put them at an even bigger disadvantage.

For years, the Tigers' T20 story has been one of cautious cricket and squandered chances.

A decade may have passed, but Bangladesh fans may still have bitter memories one particular defeat at home in 2014. On that night in Chattogram, under the lights of the T20 World Cup, minnows Hong Kong stunned Bangladesh by two wickets, leaving behind one of the most jaw-dropping defeats on record at home for the Tigers. 

Cricket in the UAE remains largely confined to the South Asian expatriate community, and expecting a carnival-like setting may be asking too much.

As the T20 format returns for the first time since 2022, here are some of the standout records from past editions:

The ACC Men’s Asia Cup -- a tournament that has been running since 1984 -- has so far witnessed 16 editions in which eight different nations have participated, three different teams have lifted the trophy, and only one country has participated in every iteration.

Bangladeshi umpires Masudur Rahman and Gazi Sohel are set to officiate in the forthcoming Asia Cup, with the former being named as an on-field umpire in the high-voltage India-Pakistan encounter in the group-stage.

Asia Cup 2025 kicks off on September 9 in the UAE, returning in the T20 format for the first time since 2022.

A blockbuster between India and Pakistan headlines the Asia Cup starting on Tuesday as they face off for the first time in cricket since the military conflict in May.

The tournament will run from September 9–28.

The Bangladesh team is scheduled to leave for the UAE in two groups today to take part in the upcoming Asia Cup, which runs from September 9-28.

UAE have announced a 17-member outfit for the upcoming Asia Cup.

If Bangladesh qualify for the Super 4, they will then move to Dubai for the remaining matches.

The starting time of 18 out of 19 matches in the upcoming Asia Cup have been pushed back by 30 minutes, announced the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) in a press release on Saturday.

Despite doubts over star all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) kept the leg-spinner in their 16-member squad for the Asia Cup, scheduled to be played in the UAE from September 9 to 28.

Afghanistan have announced their Asia Cup squad mixed with seasoned campaigners and emerging players all set to be led by their star player Rashid Khan.

On Friday, chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu achieved what many of his predecessors couldn't do – announce a Bangladesh squad for a tournament without much uproar.