Sharafu looks up to Hardik Pandya, ready to test himself against top teams like India and Pakistan in Group A
Young UAE cricketer Alishan Sharafu is gearing up for a major challenge — facing cricket giants India and Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025, starting September 9. The 22-year-old batter, known for his aggressive T20 style, says he’s not intimidated, but motivated by the opportunity to test his skills against some of the best players in world cricket.
Sharafu, who grew up idolizing legends like Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and AB de Villiers, draws his current inspiration from Hardik Pandya and Ben Stokes.
“Hardik is someone I truly admire. His calmness, composure, and ability to fight back from setbacks is something every athlete can learn from. He’s a real fighter,” Sharafu said during a media interaction hosted by Sony Sports, the official broadcasters of the tournament.
UAE has been drawn in Group A, alongside India, Pakistan, and Oman. The much-anticipated India vs UAE clash is scheduled for September 10.
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Sharafu believes the team has the momentum after defeating Bangladesh in a T20I series in May — only their second series win over a Full Member nation. In that series, Sharafu played a match-winning role with an unbeaten 68.
“Beating Bangladesh boosted our confidence. We know we can take on big teams now. Even in that series, we could’ve won 3-0 if we had closed out the first game,” he added.
Sharafu, who has scored 770 T20I runs in 2024, finishing as the fourth-highest run-scorer of the year, averages over 30 with a strike rate nearing 134. Despite this T20 success, he’s keen to improve in the 50-over format as well.
He admits that conditions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi—the tournament’s venues—pose a unique challenge.
“The humidity’s been tough. In recent practice games, spinners struggled to grip the ball due to the moisture in the air.”
But Sharafu isn’t too focused on the opposition.
“Yes, India is one of the best teams in the world, but we’re not looking at it with fear. It’s a great opportunity to learn and play good cricket. We’re just backing ourselves and taking it one game at a time,” he said.
With Pakistan missing stars like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, Sharafu still expects a tough fight. “They’re a quality side, and we’re prepared to face them with the same focus,” he concluded.
