The 2025 Asia Cup will take place from September 9 to 28 in the United Arab Emirates, Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced on Saturday. Naqvi, who also serves as the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board, shared the news via his official X (formerly Twitter) account.

The tournament, which will be played in the T20 format, is being seen as a key warm-up for the T20 World Cup in 2026. Eight teams will compete, and matches will be held in Dubai and Abu Dhabi across 19 games.

As expected, fierce rivals India and Pakistan have been placed in the same group, setting the stage for a high-voltage showdown on September 14. Given the tournament format—which includes a group stage, Super Four round, and final—fans could be treated to as many as three India-Pakistan clashes, provided both teams advance through the stages.

Groupings and Fixtures

The Asia Cup will feature two groups:

Group A: India, Pakistan, UAE, Oman

Group B: Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Hong Kong

India's Group Stage Fixtures:

* September 10: vs UAE

* September 14: vs Pakistan

* September 19: vs Oman

This structure ensures at least one India-Pakistan encounter—a key feature of recent Asia Cup editions, especially since bilateral cricket between the two nations has remained suspended due to ongoing political tensions.

Just last week, strained relations between the two countries were on display when a match between India Champions and Pakistan Champions in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) was cancelled. Indian players, including stars like Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Irfan and Yusuf Pathan, and Shikhar Dhawan, pulled out of the veterans’ tournament following public criticism over their participation.

The WCL controversy followed heightened military tensions in the region after the Pahalgam terror attack in April, which led to retaliatory strikes and escalated conflict along the border.

Despite the tense backdrop, cricket continues to bring the subcontinent’s passions to the forefront. The last time India and Pakistan faced off was during this year's Champions Trophy, where a brilliant century from Virat Kohli powered India to a six-wicket win in Dubai. India went on to win the tournament unbeaten.