ঢাকা - April 23, 2026, 10:21 am
The 17th edition of the Asia Cup is set to begin on September 9, 2025, hosted by the United Arab Emirates. This year’s tournament will be played in the T20 format to help participating teams prepare for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The final match will be held on September 28, concluding nearly three weeks of high-voltage cricket.
Asia Cup 2025 Trophy | Pic: Collected
On July 26, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) officially released the complete schedule for the tournament. The opening match will see Afghanistan take on Hong Kong.
This year, the tournament expands to eight teams, divided into two groups of four.
Group A:
India
Pakistan
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Oman
Group B:
Bangladesh
Sri Lanka
Afghanistan
Hong Kong
Each team will play one match against every other team in its group. The group stage will run from September 9 to September 19, with a total of 12 matches scheduled.
Following the group stage, the top two teams from each group will advance to the Super Four round. In this phase, all four teams will play one match against each of the others. The Super Four stage will be held from September 20 to September 26, featuring six matches in total.
The top two teams on the Super Four points table will qualify for the final, which is scheduled for September 28.
READ MORE: T20 World Cup 2024: USA beaten Pakistan,it’s record!
The previous edition of the Asia Cup took place in 2023 across Pakistan and Sri Lanka. That tournament was played in the ODI format as preparation for the 2023 ODI World Cup. India emerged as champions by defeating Sri Lanka in the final, securing their eighth Asia Cup title.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Format | T20 |
| Host Nation | United Arab Emirates (UAE) |
| Start Date | September 9, 2025 |
| Final Match | September 28, 2025 |
| Total Teams | 8 |
| Group Stage Matches | 12 |
| Super Four Matches | 6 |
| Total Matches | 19 |
| Date | Match | Time (BST) |
|---|---|---|
| 9 September | Afghanistan vs Hong Kong | 8:00 PM |
| 10 September | India vs United Arab Emirates | 8:00 PM |
| 11 September | Bangladesh vs Hong Kong | 8:00 PM |
| 12 September | Pakistan vs Oman | 8:00 PM |
| 13 September | Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka | 8:00 PM |
| 14 September | India vs Pakistan | 8:00 PM |
| 15 September | UAE vs Oman | 4:00 PM |
| 15 September | Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong | 8:00 PM |
| 16 September | Bangladesh vs Afghanistan | 8:00 PM |
| 17 September | Pakistan vs UAE | 8:00 PM |
| 18 September | Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan | 8:00 PM |
| 19 September | India vs Oman | 8:00 PM |
| Date | Match |
|---|---|
| 20 September | Group B1 vs Group B2 |
| 21 September | Group A1 vs Group A2 |
| 23 September | Group A2 vs Group B1 |
| 24 September | Group A1 vs Group B2 |
| 25 September | Group A2 vs Group B2 |
| 26 September | Group A1 vs Group B1 |
| 28 September | Final |
With eight competitive teams, iconic rivalries such as India vs Pakistan, and rising contenders like Afghanistan and Oman, the Asia Cup 2025 is shaping up to be a blockbuster tournament. As teams prepare for the global T20 stage in 2026, fans across Asia and beyond can expect world-class performances and intense battles throughout the month of September.
