The 17th edition of the Asia Cup is officially set to take
place from September 9 to 28, 2025, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE),
as announced by Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President and Pakistan Cricket
Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday. For the first time in the
tournament’s history, eight teams will compete, a notable increase from
the previous edition. With the 2026 T20 World Cup approaching, the Asia
Cup will be played in the T20I format, promising fast-paced, high-energy
cricket.
The participating teams include India, Pakistan, UAE,
Oman, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong. They are
split into two groups:
Group A – India, Pakistan, UAE, Oman
Group B – Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Hong Kong
The tournament will open with Bangladesh vs Hong Kong
on September 9, while cricket’s most anticipated rivalry—India vs
Pakistan—will take place in the group stage on September 14. The
format allows the top two teams from each group to advance to a Super
Four stage, with the top two from there moving into the final,
scheduled for September 28.
India, the defending champions, will be keen to retain their
crown after defeating Sri Lanka in the 2023 final. However, Sri Lanka,
winners of the last T20 edition in 2022, Pakistan, and emerging teams
like Afghanistan will pose strong challenges.
This edition’s venue and structure were confirmed during the
ACC’s Annual General Meeting held in Dhaka, following a brief period of
uncertainty due to military tensions between India and Pakistan earlier this
year. According to a BCCI-PCB agreement, India and Pakistan will play
each other at neutral venues for three years. Hence, like the Champions
Trophy, India will play its matches—including those against Pakistan—in
Dubai.
The India-Pakistan clash remains the financial and
fan-favourite high point, and with the current format, fans could witness up
to three showdowns between the archrivals, including a potential historic
first-ever India-Pakistan Asia Cup final.
With 19 matches scheduled, the Asia Cup 2025 sets the
perfect stage for Asian teams to gear up for the global T20 stage.
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