New Delhi: The two marquee India versus Pakistan games will be held in Dubai during the upcoming 2025 Asia Cup, which is scheduled to start in the UAE from September 9, the ACC announced on Saturday.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi have been confirmed as official host cities for the tournament. Dubai will host 11 games, including the final on September 28, while Abu Dhabi will host eight.
India and Pakistan will square off on September 14 in Dubai and one more time, potentially on September 21, at the same venue. It’s also the first time Asia Cup, to be held in the T20I format keeping in mind the preparation of teams for the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, will have eight teams.
While the fixtures were announced on July 26, the ACC had not announced the venues. India will play two of their league games on September 10 (vs UAE) and September 14 (vs Pakistan) at Dubai, while the final league game against Oman will be held at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on September 19.
In Super Six games, only one game is scheduled in Abu Dhabi. India, Pakistan, Oman and UAE constitute group A while Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Hong Kong are in group B.
“The Asia Cup is more than just a tournament, it’s a celebration of Asian cricket. Hosting it in the UAE allows us to bring the excitement to one of the most vibrant cricketing hubs in the world. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are well equipped to deliver a seamless and world class experience for players, fans, and broadcasters alike,” said Mohsin Naqvi, President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) in a statement on Saturday.
He added, “We are confident that the 2025 edition will not only set new standards for excellence but also deepen the connection between the game and millions of passionate supporters across the continent.”
India, Pakistan, UAE and Oman are placed in Group A, while Group B comprises of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Hong Kong.
Top two teams from each group will proceed to the Super Fours stage, with the top two facing each other in the title clash to decide the winner of the 17th edition of the Asia Cup, which kicks off with Afghanistan facing Hong Kong China.
While India is the designated host of the Asia Cup, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will stage the tournament in the UAE due to the mutual agreement between them and Pakistan to play at neutral venues in 2027, owing to the geopolitical and diplomatic tensions between the two nations.
India are the defending champions of the Asia Cup, having beaten Sri Lanka in the 2023 final held in the 50-over format in Colombo. Sri Lanka had won the Asia Cup in the T20I version after beating Pakistan in the final in 2022.
🚨 𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 🚨#ACCMensAsiaCup2025 confirmed to be hosted in Dubai and Abu Dhabi! 🏟️
The continent’s premier championship kicks off on 9th September 🏏
Read More: https://t.co/OhKXWJ3XYD#ACC pic.twitter.com/TmUdYt0EGF
— AsianCricketCouncil (@ACCMedia1) August 2, 2025
- September 9 – Afghanistan vs Hong Kong China, Abu Dhabi
- September 10 – India vs UAE, Dubai
- September 11 – Bangladesh vs Hong Kong China, Abu Dhabi
- September 12 – Pakistan vs Oman, Dubai
- September 13 – Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka, Abu Dhabi
- September 14 – India vs Pakistan, Dubai
- September 15 – UAE vs Oman, Abu Dhabi
- September 15 – Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong China, Dubai
- September 16 – Bangladesh vs Afghanistan, Abu Dhabi
- September 17 – Pakistan vs UAE, Dubai
- September 18 – Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan, Abu Dhabi
- September 19 – India vs Oman, Abu Dhabi
- September 20 – B1 vs B2, Dubai
- September 21 – A1 vs A2, Dubai
- September 23 – A2 vs B1, Abu Dhabi
- September 24 – A1 vs B2, Dubai
- September 25 – A2 vs B2, Dubai
- September 26 – A1 vs B1, Dubai
- September 28 – Final, Dubai
