The Asia Cup 2025, to be held from September 9 to 28 in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, is set to be dominated by dew, with conditions under lights being completely different for teams.
Former Dubai curator Tony Hemming, who spent almost a decade preparing pitches in the UAE, said batting becomes considerably easier in the evening due to the heavy dew that descends on the grounds.
In an interview with The Indian Express, Hemming pointed out that the Gulf region in September usually registers high humidity. The fall in evening temperature leads to rapid accumulation of dew, rendering the ball smooth and tricky for bowlers to hold or get swing out of. Robin Singh, former India all-rounder and previous UAE head coach, echoed similar sentiments, cautioning that dew will be a determining factor at this year’s Asia Cup. His tip: teams that win the toss will fare better if they bowl first.
“If a team puts a score on the board, say 200 runs, their bowlers, in the chase, are using cross seam. So if the ball hits the shiny side, it’s going to carry through really quickly and fast. If the ball hits the seam, it’s going to hold it up. So with the new ball, you probably see carry to start with. And then after 10 overs, the ball’s going to soften off and you’re going to see it holding, it’s sticking,” Hemming said.
“Number one, the dew hits the surface by then, and the surface is getting moisture in the pitch. So that’s what’s happening. Now, whether to say that’s due to change in the pitch or the change of the ball or the change of the bowler’s behaviour – I think when you look at real science, the surface definitely changes. The pitch changes only if it’s going to be watered. So watering, in this case, is the dew-fall.”
“The ball will get wet. The ball will change in its moisture-holding capacity in the leather. If you lose that lacquer coating, the ball’s going to absorb the moisture. And the ball’s going to absorb the moisture through the seam area. There’s no lacquer coating in the seam area,” Hemming explained.
History attests to their verdict. Chasing totals in night games at UAE stadiums has always been a difficult prospect. In the second round of IPL 2021, only 4 out of 13 matches played at Dubai, in those matches the score was easily chased. Likewise, during the 2021 T20 World Cup, the chasing teams won 12 out of 13 matches at the Dubai International Stadium. While Abu Dhabi provided marginally more balance, dew continued to influence results there too.
India starts its campaign against hosts UAE on September 10, and then they will play against Pakistan on September 14 in Dubai. With dew set to play its part, chasing in lights may well decide who holds the Asia Cup trophy aloft.