The 17th Men’s Asia Cup will take place in the United Arab Emirates from 9 to 28 September 2025. ACC president and PCB chair Mohsin Naqvi delivered the confirmation after the council’s annual meeting in Dhaka on Thursday. The tournament will again use the T20 international format and feature eight sides: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Hong Kong.
Full schedule to follow
Organisers expect to release the match list in the next few weeks. India remain the official hosts on paper, yet a three-year BCCI-PCB arrangement means that when either country hosts, the other’s fixtures shift to a neutral venue. The same agreement saw India play the 2025 Champions Trophy entirely in Dubai, including their victorious final.
Uncertainty after May skirmish
This year’s political tension—the May border flare-up between India and Pakistan—had left the Asia Cup hanging. Thursday’s vote ended that suspense, although questions linger over the group draw.
India-Pakistan pairing likely
The ACC has not said whether the arch-rivals will share a first-round pool, but recent editions suggest they will. If they do, the structure practically guarantees at least two meetings and leaves room for a possible third in the final. Despite the commercial appeal, an India-Pakistan Asia Cup final has never happened.
Form guide
India arrive as defending champions, having beaten Sri Lanka in the 50-over final in Colombo two years ago. Sri Lanka, for their part, lifted the last T20I Asia Cup in 2022, edging Pakistan at Dubai.
Who’s in
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Hong Kong
India
Oman
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
United Arab Emirates
A brief wait now for the fixture list, the inevitable travel logistics and—of course—the small matter of whether the two biggest draws are pulled out of the same hat.
