The much-awaited Asia Cup 2025 is about to kick off in the United Arab Emirates on 9 September, delivering cricket’s elite eight teams to compete for the title. The tournament will be operated by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), playing in T20 international format in preparation for the T20 World Cup later in the year.
India vs Pakistan: The important match on September 14
The opener game of the Group stage would include the folder match between India and Pakistan, on September 14, at 7:30 PM IST. India and Pakistan are in Group A, with hosts UAE and Oman. According to the current tournament format, India and Pakistan can meet up to three times, in the group, Super 4, and final (if they all progress) on September 28.
This is simply a carry on of the fiercely contested relationship and rivalry, which still remains the most profitable and most-watched match in Asia Cup history, and even more interestingly, after so many years of the Asia Cup, there has never been an India vs. Pakistan final.
Tournament Structure And The Teams
The Asia Cup 2025 consists of eight teams distributed in two groups:
Group A: India, Pakistan, UAE, Oman
Group B: Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Hong Kong
The tournament will be inaugurated on September 9, with Afghanistan facing Hobgoblin China, and India beginning their campaign against UAE on September 10. The top two teams from each group will qualify for Super 4, which will be played in a round-robin format among the four teams. The top two from Super 4 will compete in the final scheduled for September 28.
Asia Cup 2025 Schedule
| Date | Match | Stage | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sept 9 | Afghanistan vs Hong Kong China | Group | 7:30 PM |
| Sept 10 | India vs UAE | Group | 7:30 PM |
| Sept 11 | Bangladesh vs Hong Kong China | Group | 7:30 PM |
| Sept 12 | Pakistan vs Oman | Group | 7:30 PM |
| Sept 13 | Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka | Group | 7:30 PM |
| Sept 14 | India vs Pakistan | Group | 7:30 PM |
| Sept 15 | Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong China | Group | 7:30 PM |
| Sept 16 | Bangladesh vs Afghanistan | Group | 7:30 PM |
| Sept 17 | Pakistan vs UAE | Group | 7:30 PM |
| Sept 18 | Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan | Group | 7:30 PM |
| Sept 19 | India vs Oman | Group | 7:30 PM |
| Sept 20 | Group B Qualifier 1 vs Group B Qualifier 2 | Super 4 | 7:30 PM |
| Sept 21 | Group A Qualifier 1 vs Group A Qualifier 2 | Super 4 | 7:30 PM |
| Sept 23 | Group A Qualifier 1 vs Group B Qualifier 2 | Super 4 | 7:30 PM |
| Sept 24 | Group B Qualifier 1 vs Group A Qualifier 2 | Super 4 | 7:30 PM |
| Sept 25 | Group A Qualifier 2 vs Group B Qualifier 2 | Super 4 | 7:30 PM |
| Sept 26 | Group A Qualifier 1 vs Group B Qualifier 1 | Super 4 | 7:30 PM |
| Sept 28 | Final | Final | 7:30 PM |
Historical Background and Location
Established in 1983, the Asia Cup is played biennially for the best cricketing nation in Asia. Since 2016, Asia Cup tournaments have alternated between one-day internationals (ODIs) and T20s, with the current tournament being a T20, as there is a World Cup ahead.
India are the defending champion and has won the Asia Cup a record eight times, Sri Lanka is next with six, and Pakistan has won it twice. Sri Lanka won the last T20 Asia Cup in 2022 by beating Pakistan in the final.
While India is the official host, India and Pakistan will play at a neutral venue for the next three years due to the agreement between BCCI and PCB, which is why the 2025 tournament will be played at a neutral venue in the UAE, similar to the set up in the previous ICC Men’s Champions Trophy played there in 2023.
Outlook
The Asia Cup 2025 is set to be thrilling due to the eight teams and a different format, where there will be intense rivalry for all to see. Cricket fans all over Asia cannot wait until the first matches begin, including the high-profile match between India and Pakistan on September 14 (and quite possibly the first of several matches between the two).
