Asia Cup 2025: UAE Poised to Host as Cricket Tournament Eyes September 10 Start Date

Despite earlier uncertainties fueled by tensions between India and Pakistan, the Asia Cup is now expected to proceed. While official confirmation is pending, sources indicate that the tournament is likely to commence around September 10.

Although India is the designated host, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is anticipated to serve as the venue. A senior Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official stated that details surrounding the tournament are still speculative. However, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is expected to release the schedule for the six-team competition in early July.

The ACC previously announced the postponement of the ACC Women's Emerging Teams Asia Cup, originally scheduled for June 6, 2025, in Sri Lanka. The decision was made following consultations regarding adverse weather conditions and health concerns related to the spread of chikungunya in the region.

With the T20 World Cup scheduled for February-March next year in India and Sri Lanka, the Asia Cup will also be played in the T20 format, with the tentative start date of September 10.

Besides India and Pakistan, the participating teams will include Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the UAE. Sony Liv, the tournament's official broadcaster, has already initiated promotional activities. These activities were briefly overshadowed by uncertainty following the Pahalgam terror attack on June 22 and India's subsequent Operation Sindoor in May.

The ACC has stipulated that when it is India or Pakistan's turn to host the Asia Cup, the event will be held at a neutral venue, rather than adopting a hybrid model. This makes the UAE the most probable location for the tournament.

Interestingly, despite growing calls within India to boycott Pakistan in multilateral events, the International Cricket Council's (ICC) schedules indicate that the women's teams of India and Pakistan are set to compete in the ODI World Cup (hosted by India & Sri Lanka) in Colombo on October 5, and later in the 2026 T20 World Cup on June 14 in Edgbaston, England.

In May, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia refuted reports that the BCCI had decided to withdraw from all tournaments organized by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to isolate Pakistan, following heightened tensions between the two nations.

Saikia clarified that the BCCI had not discussed or taken any steps regarding upcoming ACC events. He emphasized that the board's primary focus was on the ongoing IPL and the subsequent series against England for both men's and women's teams. He dismissed any reports on the Asia Cup or other ACC events as speculative. He added that any significant decisions regarding ACC events would be announced through the media.