There is a ray of hope regarding the Asia Cup, with uncertainty gradually lifting. Back in April, a terrorist attack in Kashmir sparked tensions between India and Pakistan, which had negative implications for cricket as well. Concerns arose over whether the two nations would face each other in international continental tournaments or ICC events. Even the upcoming Asia Cup faced uncertainty.
However, since the “ceasefire” between the two countries, the situation has become relatively calm. Although no final decision has been made yet, cricket-based website Cricbuzz reports that there is now strong optimism surrounding the Asia Cup.
According to a report, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) hopes to finalize the schedule for the six-team tournament in a meeting planned for the first week of July. If all goes well, the tournament will be held from the second week of September. More specifically, the T20-format Asia Cup may begin on September 10.
The report further states that Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and the UAE will participate in this year’s Asia Cup. Although originally the 2024 ACC Premier Cup runners-up Oman and third-placed Hong Kong were also expected to join, the latest update suggests that the 2025 Asia Cup may proceed without Oman and Hong Kong.
India remains the official host of the upcoming Asia Cup. However, similar to the 2023 Asia Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy, there are ongoing discussions to hold the tournament in a “hybrid model.” In that case, matches could be played both in India and the UAE. This arrangement aligns with the mutual understanding reached between the BCCI and PCB in December, where both boards agreed not to send teams to each other’s countries. Based on this, Pakistan’s matches in the Asia Cup would be shifted to the UAE.
There’s a strong likelihood of India and Pakistan facing each other in the Asia Cup. That’s because Sony Sports Network, when acquiring broadcast rights for four editions for $170 million (approximately ₹2,071 crore), had an informal agreement with the ACC to ensure at least two India-Pakistan matches per edition. If the two teams reach the final, they could face off three times in a single tournament.
