"I am pleased to announce the dates of ACC Men's Asia Cup 2025 in UAE. The prestigious event will be held from September 9th to 28th. We eagerly await an enthralling exhibition of cricket! Detailed schedule will be out shortly. #Cricketwins," posted Naqvi, who is also the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), on his 'X' handle on Saturday.
While India retained the official hosting rights of the next Asia Cup, the tournament will now be played in the United Arab Emirates.
This shift is due to the consistent diplomatic and geopolitical tension between India and Pakistan. With the 2025 version moving to UAE turf, matches are set to be played in prime stadiums of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah.
Top Asian cricketing countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, UAE, Hong Kong, and Oman will be a part of the tournament. India, the winner of the last edition, will be defending their title in the 2025 Asia Cup. They won the 2023 title by beating Sri Lanka in the final, which was played in the ODI format in Colombo.
The previous edition, also, was affected by the tense India-Pakistan relationship. Originally planned to be conducted only in Pakistan, the 2023 Asia Cup ultimately was held on a hybrid model, following India's refusal to play on Pakistani ground. Consequently, all India's matches were shifted to Sri Lanka.
With the 2025 event fully sanctioned now, fans can look forward to yet another Indo-Pak high-voltage encounter. Had the two teams been in the same group, then there was every likelihood of them fighting each other thrice—at least three times: in the group match, Super Four, and then perhaps in the final. The Asia Cup, being T20 formats, also presents an essential preparation ground for the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
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