United Arab Emirates T20I Tri-Series 2025/26

The United Arab Emirates T20I Tri-Series is a standalone bilateral cricket tournament hosted by the Emirates Cricket Board. Unlike official continental championships, it functions as a preparatory event for larger competitions, specifically the ACC Men's T20 Asia Cup. The 2025 edition was the inaugural series involving the specific combination of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates in the T20I format.

The structure consists of a double round-robin group stage, resulting in six matches in total, followed by a final contested between the two highest-placed teams. This format ensures every participant plays each other twice before the decisive match. The tournament does not involve promotion or relegation, as it operates strictly as a friendly preparation initiative rather than a competitive league with tiered standings.

Pakistan secured victory in the 2025 edition, defeating Afghanistan by 75 runs in the final held at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The series distinguishes itself from the broader Asia Cup, which includes additional nations such as India and Sri Lanka and holds official ACC status. Instead, this tri-series is a host-led initiative designed to allow teams to acclimatise to Sharjah’s conditions ahead of the main tournament. The ECB retains ownership of the specific trophy awarded to the winner.

Previous tri-series hosted by the UAE have featured different teams and formats, such as the 2017–18 event with Ireland and Scotland in the ODI format. The current iteration marks a shift towards the T20I format with the current participants. Sponsorship for the 2025 event came from Bank Alfalah and Inverex Solar Energy, under the official title Inverex Solar Energy presents Bank Alfalah T20I Tri-Series 2025.

While the UAE has a history of hosting various international fixtures, this specific competition focuses on providing a concentrated block of high-quality matches for the participating nations. It offers a condensed schedule that allows for rapid assessment of form before the teams move on to the more extensive continental championship.