Dubai, Sep 5: The stage is set for the 17th edition of the Men’s Asia Cup, a tournament that has long carried both sporting prestige and political undertones in the cricketing landscape of the subcontinent.
Beginning on September 9 and culminating with the final on September 28, this year’s competition will unfold in the United Arab Emirates, with matches split between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
All fixtures are scheduled to begin at 8.00 pm IST, except on the lone double-header day when the two games will start at 5.30 pm and 8.00 pm.
Why UAE, Not India?
India were the official hosts for the 2025 edition, but owing to the country’s strained political relations with Pakistan, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) opted for a neutral venue. Had the event been played in India, matches featuring Pakistan would have required shifting elsewhere, echoing the 2025 Champions Trophy where India’s matches were hosted in the UAE when Pakistan staged the tournament.
Thus, while the BCCI remains the official host, the Asia Cup will once again be held in the UAE — a familiar setting that has often provided a neutral ground for India-Pakistan contests.
A Tournament Steeped in History
The Asia Cup traces its origins back to 1984, when India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka met in the inaugural edition. Conceived as a goodwill tournament, it grew in scale as Asian cricket expanded with the rise of Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and other associate nations.
Although it had a stop-start presence in its early decades, the Asia Cup has become a regular fixture every alternate year since 2008, barring the Covid-19 disruption in 2020.
India are the defending champions, having outclassed Sri Lanka in the 2023 final in Colombo. On that occasion, Mohammed Siraj’s devastating six-wicket haul bundled Sri Lanka out for 50, and India chased down the target in just 6.1 overs. That triumph marked India’s eighth Asia Cup crown, the most by any team. Sri Lanka sit second on the honours list with six titles.
ODI or T20?
The Asia Cup has alternated between formats to align with the upcoming global ICC event.
The 2023 edition was played in the ODI format as a build-up to the 2023 ODI World Cup. This time, the focus is firmly on the shortest format, with the T20I Asia Cup serving as preparation for the 2026 T20 World Cup scheduled in India and Sri Lanka next February.
Who’s Playing?
For the first time in history, the Asia Cup will feature eight teams.
Direct qualifiers: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan; From the 2024 ACC Men’s Premier Cup: UAE, Oman, Hong Kong Notably absent is Nepal, who narrowly missed out after defeats to UAE and Hong Kong in the knockout stages of the Premier Cup.
Tournament Format
The eight sides have been divided into two groups: Group A: India, Pakistan, Oman, UAE; Group B: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka
Each team will face every other side in their group once. The top two teams from each group will then move into the Super Four stage, where they will battle each other again. From there, the top two teams advance to the grand final in Dubai on September 28.
India vs Pakistan
The marquee fixture of the group stage is, without doubt, India vs Pakistan on September 14 in Dubai. Political tensions had briefly clouded the possibility of the contest, but India’s government confirmed the team will face Pakistan in multi-nation tournaments, even if bilateral cricket remains frozen.
If both sides progress to the Super Four, they could meet again, and an Asia Cup final between the two giants — something that has never happened before — remains a tantalising prospect.
Pakistan enter the tournament with a reshuffled top order, having moved on from Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan after their diminishing returns in T20Is.
Bangladesh, buoyed by a recent hard-fought series win over Sri Lanka, arrive with renewed confidence.
India, meanwhile, have named a full-strength squad for the first time since their 2024 T20 World Cup triumph, though questions remain about the balance of their playing XI.
Afghanistan will be aiming for their first major title, building on their semi-final run at the 2024 World Cup.
Oman make a much-anticipated return following a turbulent period over player payments, while Hong Kong begin their campaign under a new captain, Yasim Murtaza, and a new coach, former Sri Lankan international Kaushal Silva.
Among the rising talents to watch, India’s Abhishek Sharma stands out with two T20I centuries at a staggering strike rate of nearly 194, making this his first major test as a first-choice opener.
Afghanistan’s 19-year-old mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar, already making waves in ODIs and franchise cricket, could be a key game-changer in UAE conditions. For Pakistan, left-arm quick Salman Mirza, who recently impressed in the PSL, has brought fresh energy to their pace attack.
UAE’s star batter and captain Muhammad Waseem, known for his fearless hitting, enters the tournament under the spotlight, while Hong Kong’s seasoned allrounder Yasim Murtaza, now leading the side, has the potential to trouble stronger opponents with his versatile game.
Expect the Unexpected
While India-Pakistan encounters often dominate headlines, history shows that the Asia Cup has delivered several memorable upsets and nail-biters.
Afghanistan stunned Sri Lanka by 91 runs on debut in 2014.
Four years later, they tied an ODI against India. Hong Kong nearly chased down 286 against India in 2018 after a remarkable 174-run opening stand.
The last T20I edition in 2022 saw Sri Lanka defy odds to beat Pakistan in the final, a reminder of how fine the margins can be in Asian cricket. (Agencies)
