The official schedule for the highly anticipated Asia Cup 2025 is expected to be announced within the next 48 hours, according to Indian media reports.
Sources suggest that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has received clearance from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs to face arch-rivals Pakistan.
Asian Cricket Council President Mohsin Naqvi has confirmed that the Asia Cup cricket tournament will take place from September 9 to 28, with all matches scheduled to be held in the UAE. He added that a detailed schedule would be announced soon, and expressed his enthusiasm for the tournament.
“I am looking forward to organizing a memorable Asia Cup,” Naqvi said.
Also Read: ACC members agree to keep politics away from cricket: Naqvi
The Asia Cup will feature a Super Four format after the initial group stage. Eight teams are set to participate, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, the UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong.
Indian media reports also confirm that differences between key stakeholders — India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh — have been amicably resolved, removing significant obstacles to the finalization of the tournament plan.
In terms of venue, UAE and Abu Dhabi have emerged as strong candidates to host the event. With its modern infrastructure and experience in organizing high-profile cricketing events, the UAE remains a popular and politically neutral location for such multi-nation tournaments.
Meanwhile, BCCI is reportedly in the final stages of drafting the tournament schedule, with internal preparations being fast-tracked following diplomatic clearance for India-Pakistan participation.
On July 24, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) successfully concluded its annual meeting in Dhaka, with key decisions made for the promotion and expansion of cricket across the continent. The session was chaired by ACC President and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, and attended by representatives of all 25 member nations — some virtually.
Asia Cup schedule under discussion
Speaking to the media in Dhaka after the meeting, Naqvi said discussions were ongoing with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding the final schedule of the Asia Cup 2025.
"Talks are being held with the Indian board regarding the schedule. We are hopeful the Asia Cup dates will be finalized soon," Naqvi had said, adding that there was a possibility of expanding the tournament to eight teams instead of six.
Also Read: Pakistan, Afghanistan, UAE tri-nation series to be held ahead of Asia Cup
Sources confirmed that BCCI Vice President Rajiv Shukla represented India in the meeting online.
Keep politics out
Naqvi emphasized that the meeting took place in a “very good atmosphere” and that all member nations agreed to keep politics away from cricket-related matters. He called the meeting’s success a result of “teamwork and shared vision” among ACC members.
"We all agreed to work together for the promotion of cricket across Asia," he said, thanking the Bangladesh Cricket Board for hosting the event and acknowledging virtual participants.
Representatives from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, the UAE, Singapore, Cambodia, Oman, Afghanistan, Thailand, and Uzbekistan were among the attendees, either in person or online.
Pakistan-India match updates awaited
While the Asia Cup schedule is still under negotiation, Naqvi assured that an official announcement would be made soon. On the highly anticipated Pakistan vs India match, he urged fans to “wait for the official schedule".
