Asia Cup 2025: ACC Targets September Launch Amid Easing India-Pakistan Tensions

Hopes are rising for the Asia Cup as the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) aims to begin the tournament in the second week of September. This marks a shift from earlier uncertainties surrounding the event, which were fueled by tensions between India and Pakistan.

India were champions of the previous edition of the Asia Cup in 2023 © Getty

While a final decision is expected next week, the ACC plans to release the schedule for the six-team tournament in early July, coinciding with a scheduled meeting.

The ACC is aiming for a September 10 start date for the T20 format tournament, if everything proceeds as planned. Besides India and Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the UAE are expected to participate. Promotional activities for the tournament are already underway.

The UAE remains the likely host, although a hybrid hosting model is also under consideration. Due to existing agreements, the Asia Cup is held at a neutral venue when it is India or Pakistan's turn to host.

Uncertainty surrounding the tournament arose after the Pahalgam terror attack in April. Tensions escalated following India's Operation Sindoor against Pakistan in May, raising concerns about the tournament's viability. Calls for an Indian boycott of Pakistan in multilateral events also grew, given the absence of bilateral cricket between the two nations. A potential Indian boycott of Pakistan in global events was even suggested for discussion at the next ICC meeting.

However, recent developments suggest a potential shift. The ICC released schedules for the Women's ODI World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, and the Women's T20 World Cup in England. In both tournaments, India and Pakistan are scheduled to play each other – on October 5 in Colombo and June 14 at Edgbaston, respectively.

Although no official statements have been released by the BCCI, ACC, or ICC, it appears that cricketing ties between the two rivals will continue, at least in global events. These matches generate significant revenue for global cricket, benefiting the ICC, the ACC, and their member boards, even if India and the BCCI are less reliant on this revenue.