Asia Cup 2025: 5 Bowlers to watch out for in the tournament

Cricket enthusiasts are in for a treat as the Asia Cup 2025 kicks off in the UAE from September 9–28. The flat tracks and slow surfaces in Dubai and Abu Dhabi will favour pace and spin, but it's the bowlers who can get movement, strike the right lengths and control their pace that tend to win T20 games. 

In the subcontinental heat of the UAE, it often falls to bowlers with clever variations, disciplined lines, and the ability to bowl in any phase of the innings to tilt the game in their side’s favour. Going on their recent performances and established match-winning potential, here are five bowlers you cannot afford to miss:

1. Varun Chakravarthy (India)

A mystery-spinner who has flourished on variance, Chakravarthy has rediscovered himself recently in International Cricket and found his mojo. After his comeback, he has played exceptionally well, accumulating a total of 18 games in his T20I career, claiming 33 wickets, and is currently ranked number three in the ICC Rankings. 

His capacity to flight the ball and change on slower tracks will be a thorn in the side of any batting line-up, particularly on subcontinental pitches that provide that extra little bit of grip. 

2. Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka)

Sri Lanka's first-choice leg-spinner in white-ball cricket, Hasaranga, has been a reliable wicket-taker since his debut in 2019. In 79 T20Is, he's already taken 131 wickets at 15.41, four times taking out rivals with four-wicket strikes. 

Aside from his aggressive spin, he is also a lower-order batsman, so he is an all-round threat in every sense. In the familiar conditions of Sri Lankan grounds, Hasaranga's variations will be difficult to identify, and his ability to discontinue associations in the middle of an innings may determine decisive games. 

3. Arshdeep Singh (India) 

A lethal left-arm pacer in the death, Arshdeep has shot up in India's white-ball strategies. His 63 T20Is to date have returned 99 wickets, making him India's most successful wicket-taker in the format.

What distinguishes him is his new-ball ability to swing it and deliver precision yorkers under stress, crucial skills when batsmen seek to go big. In places such as Dubai or Abu Dhabi, where seam movement may be minimal, Arshdeep's variations and control will be crucial in strangulating run-rates. 

4. Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh) 

Dubbed "The Fizz," Mustafizur Rahman emerged on the international scene with slower cutters and off-cutter variations. His T20I stats are self-explanatory: in 111 games, he has picked up 139 wickets at a mean of 21.02 and has taken two five-wicket hauls.

Mustafizur's skill to mislead big-hitters with his slower balls and seam-up cutters will make him an excellent death-overs bowler. Under UAE conditions, where slower balls tend to skid onto the bat, his control on disguise and also hitting the right spots under pressure will prove to be a huge plus point for Bangladesh. 

5. Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) 

No list of short-format bowling casts is complete without Afghanistan's ace leg-spinner Rashid Khan. In his 96 T20Is to date, Rashid has claimed 161 wickets at a staggering average of 13.80 with a best spell of 5 for 3. His googlies that come in low, his rapid arm action, and aggressive mindset make him perhaps the hardest bowler to select, particularly in the middle overs when batsmen try to rebuild. 

Rashid's UAE franchise league experience (IPL, MLC, The Hundred) makes him highly at ease on those pitches. Expect him to suffocate runs and grab important middle-over wickets for Afghanistan.

Stay updated with the latest cricket news, match insights, and exclusive updates at Sky365 and download the Sky365 App to start betting today!