The Asia Cup 2025 is starting from September 9, while Pakistan will play the first match of its campaign on September 12 against Oman as the event will continue till September 28 and will be the center of attention of millions of fans around the world, including the subcontinent.
Especially since India and Pakistan are likely to clash three times, this time the tournament is being played in the T20 format, that is why Indian stars like the legendary Indian batsmen Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will not be included.
Prize money
This year, the winning team of the Asia Cup is expected to receive 300,000 US dollars, while the runner-up team will be given 150,000 dollars, although an official announcement has not been made yet, but there are reports of an increase in the prize money compared to the previous edition.
The Asia Cup was originally to be hosted by India, but due to political tensions between India and Pakistan, it was decided that the two teams would not play on each other’s soil. To end this impasse, the tournament was moved to the United Arab Emirates, finding a middle ground.
Teams and groups
This time, a total of eight teams are participating in the event. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan have qualified directly, while three associate teams, namely the Emirates, Oman and Hong Kong, which performed well in last year’s ACC Premier Cup, have made their place.
Group A includes India, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and Oman, while Group B will feature Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka.
Schedule and Matches
The group stage will begin on September 9 between Afghanistan and Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi, India will begin their campaign against the United Arab Emirates in Dubai on September 10, while Pakistan’s first match will be against Oman on September 12.
The most exciting match for fans is the first clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan, which will be held in Dubai on September 14.
After the group matches, the Super Four stage will be played from September 20 to 26, where the top two teams from both groups will face each other. The final will be held in Dubai on September 28.
Nepal’s exclusion
Nepal has made a name for itself in cricket in recent years, but failed to make the semi-finals of the 2024 ACC Premier Cup and lost to Hong Kong in the third-place match, thus Hong Kong secured its place in the historic event while Nepal was excluded.
The eight teams participating in the tournament have been divided into two groups, each team will play one match against the rest of the teams in its group, the top two teams from each group will reach the Super-IV where all the teams will play against each other, the top 2 teams from this stage will make it to the decisive final.
The first match between India and Pakistan will be on September 14. If both teams reach the Super 4, they are expected to clash again on September 21. Similarly, if both are successful in making it to the final, they could face each other for the third time, which would be the biggest cricket battle for fans.
Read also: Asia Cup 2025: Tickets now available at Dubai, Abu Dhabi stadiums
