The Asia Cricket Council’s (ACC) Asia Cup 2025 tournament will be held in the United Arab Emirates from September 9-28, ACC President Mohsin Naqvi announced on Saturday.
In a post on X, he said: “I am delighted to confirm the dates for the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 in UAE. The prestigious tournament will take place from September 9th to 28th. We look forward to a spectacular display of cricket! Detailed schedule will be out soon.”
Naqvi later announced the schedule for the tournament on X, with India and Pakistan set to clash on September 14. In addition to India, the Green Shirts will play Oman on September 12 and the UAE on September 17.
Pakistan, India, the UAE and Oman will make up Group A, while Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Hong Kong will make up Group B.
The group stage will be followed by a super four stage, in turn followed by the final on September 28.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman’s confirmation came after the tournament was already expected to be hosted in the UAE.
The tournament, originally scheduled to be hosted by India in September, was poised to be relocated due to logistical and political challenges, though India is expected to retain hosting rights.
The decision followed the ACC’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), held in Dhaka on Thursday, which was attended by all 25 member countries either physically or virtually.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), after initially threatening to boycott the meeting due to political tensions with Bangladesh, eventually joined the proceedings virtually. BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla represented the board at the meeting.
The Asia Cup must conclude before India begins its Test series against the West Indies later that month.
In May, Pakistan and India stepped back from an all-out war after a four-day military confrontation — the worst in decades — in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam attack in India-occupied Kashmir. New Delhi blamed Pakistan for the attack without evidence, launching Operation Sindoor. Islamabad has strongly denied the accusations.
During the conflict, India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir had called for a complete halt to cricketing engagements with Pakistan at any forum.
Last week, a cricket match between Indian and Pakistani veteran players was called off after Indian players, including Shikhar Dhawan, refused to play against Pakistan, citing recent “geopolitical tensions” between the two nations.
With both the BCCI and PCB reportedly unwilling to play on each other’s soil, a neutral venue such as the UAE was viewed as a practical compromise, similar to the hybrid model used during the 2025 ICC events and the 2023 Asia Cup.
The UAE, having previously hosted the tournament in similar circumstances, emerged as the most feasible neutral venue, particularly in light of ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan.
