England Test captain Ben Stokes has resumed training and fast bowler Mark Wood is in line to return to action next week in a major boost to England's preparations for the Ashes series in Australia later this year.

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.

The Daily Star looks at one player from each side who could shape the course of the contest.

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.

Bangladesh’s reputation as a cricketing nation has suffered blows in recent years due to allegations of fixing in different tiers of domestic cricket.

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.

England batter Jacob Bethell is unsure if his first hundred in international cricket in Sunday's one-dayer against South Africa has opened the door to the Ashes squad but the 21-year-old is confident he would not let anyone down if given the opportunity.

Momentum is building nicely for Pakistan, according to captain Salman Ali Agha.

Pakistan laid down a marker ahead of the Asia Cup as Mohammad Nawaz took a hat-trick in a 75-run win over Afghanistan in their tri-series final in Sharjah on Sunday.

England’s record 342-run One Day International win over South Africa in Southampton on Sunday provided the recipe for future success, according to coach Brendon McCullum, as they found the right gears with both bat and ball.

Joe Root and Jacob Bethell scored centuries and fast bowler Jofra Archer took 4-18 as England demolished South Africa by a world record 342 runs in the third and final One Day International in Southampton on Sunday.

An unbeaten 73 from Kamil Mishara led Sri Lanka to an eight-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in Harare on Sunday to win their Twenty20 series 2-1.

This will be the first time Pakistan play neighbours Afghanistan in a T20I match on home soil, the PCB said.

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.