Seven teams will be aiming to dethrone defending champions India as the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Asia Cup 2025 begins today, September 9, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The month-long tournament brings together the top cricketing nations of Asia in a bid to claim continental supremacy.
India, the reigning champions, lifted the trophy in Colombo in 2023, defeating Sri Lanka in the final. This time, the competition moves to UAE, with matches scheduled in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
📍 When and Where is the Asia Cup 2025 Taking Place?
- Start Date: September 9, 2025
- Final: September 28, 2025
- Venues:
- Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
- Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Sharjah is not hosting any matches this year. A total of 19 matches will be played across the two venues.
The tournament opens with Afghanistan vs Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi.
📅 Asia Cup 2025 Match Schedule
The full match schedule of all 19 games can be accessed through official ACC platforms.
🤔 Why Isn’t India Hosting the Asia Cup 2025?
Originally, India was supposed to host the Asia Cup as per ACC’s rotation schedule. However, due to the ongoing political conflict between India and Pakistan, the tournament has been shifted to a neutral venue.
Despite the relocation, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) remains the official host.
India and Pakistan reached an agreement ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 which will be hosted by Pakistan to only face each other at neutral venues in international tournaments. Given the Asia Cup’s tight schedule and travel concerns, UAE was selected to host the entire event.
🏏 Which Teams Are Playing in the Asia Cup 2025?
A total of eight teams are competing, divided into two groups:
Group A:
- India
- Pakistan
- Oman
- United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Group B:
- Afghanistan
- Bangladesh
- Sri Lanka
- Hong Kong
🏆 Tournament Format
- Group Stage: Top two teams from each group qualify for the Super Four.
- Super Four Stage: Round-robin format where the four teams play each other once.
- Final: Top two teams from the Super Four face off in the final on September 28.
🔄 Why is the Asia Cup 2025 in T20 Format?
Since 2016, the Asia Cup has alternated between T20 and ODI formats to align with the upcoming ICC World Cup format.
- In 2023, the Asia Cup was in ODI format, ahead of the 50-over World Cup.
- In 2025, it’s in T20 format, to help teams prepare for the T20 World Cup in February 2026.
❌ Why is Nepal Not Playing in Asia Cup 2025?
Out of the 8 slots, five were automatically given to ACC’s full members:
India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.
The remaining three spots were awarded to the top three finishers at the ACC Premier Cup 2024. Nepal finished fourth in that tournament and narrowly missed qualification.
🇮🇳 vs 🇵🇰 When Will India and Pakistan Play Each Other?
India and Pakistan are in the same group (Group A), which guarantees at least one face-off in the group stage.
If both teams qualify for the Super Four, they’ll face each other again in the round-robin stage.
If both reach the final a scenario that has never happened before in Asia Cup history they could potentially meet three times in this tournament.
The structure, including the Super Four, has been designed in a way that maximizes the chances of multiple India vs Pakistan clashes, given the massive viewership such matches attract.
Recent BCCI Clarifies India will Play Pakistan in Asia Cup
Summary:
Asia Cup 2025 kicks off in the UAE with eight teams vying for the title. India and Pakistan, grouped together, could face off up to three times. The tournament uses the T20 format ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup, with India as official hosts but all matches held in UAE due to political tensions.
