India and Pakistan may face each other in up to three additional matches later this year, likely in the UAE again, as the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has provisionally arranged the Asia Cup for September. The continental competition, scheduled to be held in the T20 format this time, will consist of 19 matches and is anticipated to take place from the second to the fourth week of September.
The tournament was initially assigned to India; however, due to the India-Pakistan situation, the ACC has determined that it will take place in a neutral nation. The location has yet to be confirmed, but ACC officials are thought to be indecisive between Sri Lanka and the UAE. BCCI will continue to be the appointed host.
A significant recent ruling by the ACC stated that the tournament should take place in a neutral country when it is the turn of either the PCB or the BCCI to host it. A document held by this website clearly indicates.
This choice, understandably, aims to prevent any disputes regarding the India and Pakistan teams’ unwillingness to visit one another’s nations—an issue seen during the current Champions Trophy. The Indian team has received permission to compete in Dubai under a hybrid model, prompting the PCB to pursue a comparable setup for next year’s T20 World Cup, hosted by the BCCI and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
Cricket fans can look forward to more India-Pakistan showdowns as the Asia Cup has been pencilled in for a September window. The weather that month might throw a curveball with its heat and humidity, but thanks to the tournament’s snappy T20 format, games can be scheduled for the cooler evening hours to keep things comfortable.
Eight teams will battle it out in this edition: heavyweights India and Pakistan, joined by Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong. One team missing from the lineup is Nepal, the plucky underdog from the Himalayas that made waves in the 2023 Asia Cup but couldn’t secure a spot this time around.
Just like last year, the teams will be split into two groups, and you can bet India and Pakistan will be locked in the same one—it’s practically tradition. The top two from each group will move on to the Super Four stage, and from there, the best two will duke it out in the final. This setup guarantees at least one India-Pakistan clash in the group stage, another in the Super Four, and maybe even a third in the final—three chances for the arch-rivals to light up the tournament.
Looking ahead, the Asia Cup has a packed schedule through 2031. After this 2025 T20 edition with 19 games, Bangladesh will host the 2027 version in ODI format with 13 games. Then, the Pakistan Cricket Board will take the reins for a 2029 T20 edition—19 games again—though it’ll be played at a neutral venue. Finally, Sri Lanka will wrap up the cycle in 2031 with another ODI tournament, featuring 13 games. Plenty of cricket to keep the subcontinent buzzing!
Edited by Shvetank Maurya
