Breaking : Asia Cup All Set To Be Played With Both INDIA And PAKISTAN Participating, Know Schedule, Venue & More

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The much anticipated Asia Cup 2025 is set to take place from September 5 to 21, with the United Arab Emirates confirmed as the host nation. The matches will be played across two major venues - Dubai and Abu Dhabi, bringing top Asian cricketing nations together for a high-stakes tournament just weeks before the ICC Champions Trophy. According to a report by Gaurav Gupta of The Times of India, eight teams will participate in this edition of the tournament - India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong. This expanded lineup ensures a mix of heavyweight clashes and competitive games from emerging cricketing nations.

The decision to host the tournament in the UAE comes amid political and logistical challenges in other potential host countries. With world-class facilities and a proven track record of successfully conducting major international tournaments, the UAE was the preferred choice for the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Keeping the T20 World Cup 2026 in mind, this time the Asia Cup will be held in the T20 format. Last time, since it was the ODI World Cup year, the tournament was conducted in the ODI format. Under a hybrid model, matches were held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The Indian team won the title by defeating Sri Lanka in the final.

ASIA CUP 2025 UPDATE.

- Asia Cup set to be played from 5th to 21st September.
- India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, UAE, Oman and Hong Kong will participate.
- It'll be played in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. (Gaurav Gupta/TOI). pic.twitter.com/MbZhmElEAq

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 24, 2025

Amid Political Tensions, Cricket Could Serve as a Key Diplomatic Bridge

As discussions around the Asia Cup progress, the ICC has already announced schedules for two major upcoming global events the Women's ODI World Cup to be held in India and Sri Lanka, and the Women's T20 World Cup scheduled in England. Notably, India and Pakistan are set to face each other in both tournaments, first on October 5 in Colombo during the ODI World Cup, and then on June 14 at Edgbaston in the T20 World Cup.

Although officials from the BCCI, ACC, and ICC have not made any official statements regarding India-Pakistan cricketing relations, indications suggest that these ties will persist, at least in global competitions. Matches between India and Pakistan consistently attract massive viewership worldwide, making them an invaluable asset for the ACC. It was unlikely that ACC and other boards missed on cashing such a lucrative opportunity