The cricketing giants of Asia are set to meet again for the Asia Cup this September. The Asia Cup 2025 is expected to begin from 5th September. This is the 17th edition of this tournament, and most likely, this edition of the Asia Cup will consist of 13 matches and will be played in two groups. In the last edition of this tournament, India took the trophy home. Who’s going to lift the trophy this year?
Group A has:
- India
- Pakistan
- United Arab Emirates
- Nepal
Group B has:
- Afghanistan
- Bangladesh
- Sri Lanka
- Hong Kong
Let’s dive into some likely scenarios that can happen in the tournament, schedule, venues, dates, and teams.
Host status – Asia Cup 2025: Who will host the tournament this year?
Initially ACC ( Asian Cricket Council) made India the hosting country. However, due to some geopolitical tension between India and Pakistan, there has been an introduction of volatility, and there have been numerous discussions about the venue. To manage this situation, ACC is exploring a co-host format with the UAE acting as a neutral venue, and they may even go for a hybrid model.
Dates Remain Unconfirmed, but the Pressure Is Undeniable:
The Asia Cup 2025 is expected to kick off from September 5th to 21st. It’s buzzing around that the mega clash between India and Pakistan will take place on 7th September.
Asia Cup 2025 schedule finalized, India vs Pakistan clash set for 7 September: Reports
— SportsTiger (@The_SportsTiger) July 2, 2025
📸: ACC#asiacup #asiacup2025 #indvpak pic.twitter.com/0TCgWfZfyp
But, because of the political situation, it’s not certain if India will even be there. Some Pakistani news outlets are saying India will play, but Indian officials haven’t said a thing.
During IPL, Devajit Saikia, the secretary of BCCI, told the Times of India:
“The Asia Cup matter or any other ACC event issue has not come up for discussion at any level. Till now, BCCI has not even discussed or taken any such steps regarding ensuing ACC events. At this stage, our prime focus is on the ongoing IPL and the subsequent England series.”
His comments are only raising concerns, while some reports indicate that India will participate, while others suggest that India will not. Even though there has been no official statement from ACC regarding India’s participation, Twitter is abuzz with memes asking how India will play on the same stage with Pakistan after such a big incident. with memes asking how India will play on the same stage with Pakistan after such a big incident.
–Tweets are buzzing around
Likely scenarios if India participates in this tournament:
- India’s title defence: After winning the 2023 Asia Cup, India will aim to repeat that success this year.
- Pakistan’s Rebuild: Pakistan may use the Asia Cup to discover new talent after inconsistent T20 performances and issues in the 2023 Champions Trophy.
- T-20 World Cup 2026 prep: Those teams that are going to participate in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 can play this Asia Cup 2025 as T20 World Cup prep.
- Weather and Pitch impact: As a few reports are claiming that a few matches could take place in Dubai, therefore, dew may influence spin-friendly Sharjah surfaces, and late-night games will combat the heat in the United Arab Emirates. High-scoring duels may be more common on flat UAE circuits.
What’s next!!!!
The ACC wants the BCCI to decide by the first week of July, according to sources Sports Tak cited, so that scheduling for planning, tickets, promotions, and broadcasting can begin. Under a hybrid or completely neutral model, the United Arab Emirates appears to be the most likely choice, even though the official venue has not yet been determined.
Although Asia Cup 2025 promises to be a blockbuster, the final fixture list will be announced soon — cricket fans, gear up for a September spectacle!
Tanya Singh 
Annsly Raena
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