Asia Cup 2025 Set for September Launch Amid Growing Optimism, Schedule Expected Soon

Wednesday - 16/07/2025 04:10
The recent release of ICC fixtures involving India and Pakistan women's teams in the Women's T20 World Cup points in that direction; a formal decision likely next week

The Asia Cup saga may be nearing a resolution. Although it's still early to make definitive statements, there's a noticeable surge in optimism surrounding the tournament, a significant shift from previous uncertainties stemming from tensions between India and Pakistan.

Indian team celebrates their Asia Cup victory in 2023.
India were champions of the previous edition of the Asia Cup in 2023 © Getty

While concrete details are pending, a formal decision is anticipated next week. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is aiming to release the schedule for the six-team tournament in early July, coinciding with their expected convention.

If everything proceeds as planned, the ACC is reportedly targeting a September start, potentially around September 10. The tournament, to be played in the T20 format, will feature India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the UAE. Promotional activities for the tournament are already underway.

The UAE remains the leading candidate to host the tournament, though a hybrid hosting model is also under consideration. While India is the designated host, the ACC previously decided that Asia Cups hosted by either India or Pakistan would be held at a neutral venue.

The tournament's future was clouded by the terror attack in Pahalgam in April. Tensions further escalated after India's Operation Sindoor against Pakistan in May, raising serious concerns about the event. Calls for India to boycott Pakistan in multilateral events also grew louder. It's worth noting that India doesn't participate in bilateral cricket with Pakistan. Discussions about a potential Indian boycott of Pakistan in global events were even slated for the upcoming ICC meeting.

However, recent developments in international cricket suggest a potential shift in the landscape. The International Cricket Council (ICC) recently unveiled the schedules for two major global events: the Women's ODI World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, and the Women's T20 World Cup in England. Notably, India and Pakistan are scheduled to clash in both tournaments, first on October 5 in Colombo and subsequently on June 14 at Edgbaston.

While officials from the BCCI, ACC, or ICC have refrained from public statements on the matter, it appears that cricketing ties between the two rivals will persist, at least in global events. These matches are significant revenue streams for global cricket. While the BCCI may not heavily rely on revenue from these encounters, governing bodies like the ICC and ACC, along with their member boards, certainly do.

Total notes of this article: 0 in 0 rating

Click on stars to rate this article
You did not use the site, Click here to remain logged. Timeout: 60 second