The much-anticipated 2025 edition of the Asia Cup is likely to kick off in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in early September, with reports from Indian media suggesting a start date of either September 4 or 5 and a final scheduled for September 21.
Among the headline fixtures, the group-stage encounter between traditional rivals India and Pakistan is expected to take place on September 7 in Dubai. The tournament, now in its 17th edition, will be played in the T20 format and will retain its familiar structure—group stages leading into a Super Four round.
Depending on group-stage outcomes, there remains a strong possibility of another India-Pakistan showdown in the Super Four phase.
The participating teams are expected to include India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and the host nation, the UAE.
Although the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has yet to release the official schedule, an announcement is anticipated in the second week of July. Meanwhile, promotional content for the tournament has already begun circulating on Indian television and social media platforms.
Concerns over India’s potential withdrawal from the tournament due to political sensitivities were recently put to rest, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) clarifying that no such decision had been made. Media sources have confirmed that both India and Pakistan will continue to take part in ACC and ICC events without formal constraints on bilateral fixtures within these tournaments.
India enters the competition as the defending champion, having claimed the previous Asia Cup title—played in the 50-over format—with a dominant 10-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the final.
