The Asia Cup 2025 will be played in T20 format.
India and Pakistan could face three more games later this year, probably in the UAE again, as the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has tentatively planned the Asia Cup in September.
The continental tournament, which will be contested in the T20 format this season, is expected to last between the second and fourth weeks of September and will include up to 19 games.
The tournament was originally scheduled to be hosted in India, but due to the dynamics between India and Pakistan, the ACC has chosen to hold it in a neutral nation. The venue has not been determined, although ACC officials are said to be torn between Sri Lanka and the UAE. BCCI will retain the designated hosts.
The ACC recently made a significant decision to hold the tournament in a neutral country when either the BCCI or the PCB were in charge of organizing it.
This move, unsurprisingly, is intended to minimize any controversy regarding the India and Pakistan teams' refusal to travel to each other's countries, as witnessed during the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025.
The Indian squad was allowed to play in Dubai under a hybrid model, prompting the PCB to seek a similar arrangement for next year's T20 World Cup 2026, which will be hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
The September weather can be a barrier to cricket, but because the competition will be in a shorter T20 format, matches can be played in the cooler evening temps.
The championship will feature eight teams, including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Hong Kong, in addition to India and Pakistan.
Nepal, the subcontinent's rising partner nation, is noteworthy by its absence. Nepal, which participated in the previous Asia Cup in 2023, did not qualify for this edition.
The 8 teams will be divided into two groups of four each, with the possibility of India and Pakistan being in the same group. The top two teams from each cluster will advance to the Super Four stage, with the top two making the final.
The schedule ensures that India and Pakistan will face off in the group stage, then in the Super Four round, and maybe in the final, for a total of three potential encounters between the traditional rivals.
The current cycle includes four Asia Cups, which will conclude in 2031. Following the 2025 edition (19 games), the 2027 edition will be hosted in Bangladesh (13 games) in the ODI format, followed by a T20 format (19 games) with Pakistan hosting but played in a neutral country. Finally, Sri Lanka will host the 2031 edition, which will be in the ODI format with 13 games.
(Cricbuzz report)