As Asia Cup 2025 approaches, all eyes are on the match between Pakistan and the (UAE). At first glance it looks like an easy win for Pakistan. But let’s look back at their past games, check individual player stats and see how far UAE has come in challenging big cricket nations like Pakistan.
Head to Head Overall record
Pakistan and UAE haven’t played each other much in international cricket. Most of their matches have been in ODI format plus one T20I. Pakistan has won every game in all formats. They haven’t played any Test matches yet.
| Format | Matches | Pakistan Won | UAE Won | No Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| T20I | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Test | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Asia Cup Record
These two teams have only met once in Asia Cup, back in 2016 in Mirpur. UAE scored a decent total but Pakistan chased it down with 7 wickets remaining. This showed the difference in experience and skill between the two.
| Tournament | Matches Played | Pakistan Wins | UAE Wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asia Cup T20 (2016) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
ODI Games: Pakistan’s Early Lead
Pakistan’s superiority in ODIs started in 1994 when they beat UAE by 9 wickets in Sharjah. Their last ODI match was in 2015 ICC World Cup where Pakistan won by 129 runs.
| Stat | Pakistan | UAE |
|---|---|---|
| Highest Team Total | 339/6 (Napier, 2015) | 210/8 (Napier, 2015) |
| Lowest Team Total | 109 (Sharjah, 1994) | 145 (Sharjah, 1994) |
| Top Individual Score | Ahmed Shehzad – 93 (2015) | Shaiman Anwar – 62 (2015) |
| Best Bowling Figures | Mushtaq Ahmed – 3/16 (1996) | M. Guruge – 4/56 (2015) |
T20I Head to Head
Their only T20I match, during the 2016 Asia Cup, saw Shoaib Malik lead Pakistan to a win with 63 not out from 49 balls. UAE scored 129/6 but Pakistan had no issues chasing it down.
| Stat | Pakistan | UAE |
|---|---|---|
| Total Matches | 1 | 1 |
| Wins | 1 | 0 |
| Highest Score | 131/3 (Mirpur, 2016) | 129/6 (Mirpur, 2016) |
| Top Batter | Shoaib Malik – 63* | Shaiman Anwar – 46 |
| Best Bowling Figures | M. Amir – 2/6 | Amjad Javed – 3/36 |
Top performers
Pakistan had stars like Wasim Akram, Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Amir. UAE’s standout players have been Shaiman Anwar and Amjad Javed who have shown promise despite fewer chances.
| Category | Player | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Most Runs (ODI) | Ahmed Shehzad | 93 vs UAE (2015) |
| Most Runs (T20I) | Shoaib Malik | 63* vs UAE (2016) |
| Best Bowler | Wasim Akram | 5 wickets in ODIs |
| Top UAE Player | Shaiman Anwar | Consistent top-scorer |
Even though Pakistan has always beaten the UAE, this game matters for both. Pakistan wants to keep its winning streak and try out new players. UAE has a chance to show they can compete at a high level.
Cricket is getting more popular in UAE and their T20 league is gaining attention so the gap between the teams might get smaller in future. But right now Pakistan has history and current performance on its side.
