Asia Cup 2025: India-Pakistan cricket rivalry set to light up UAE

India and Pakistan are on course to clash up to three times at the Asia Cup 2025, with the UAE likely to host all matches in a blockbuster 17-day tournament. According to media reports, the much-anticipated continental event is expected to begin on September 5 — and the calendar is already circling September 7, 14 and 21.

A Times of India report says all six participating nations — India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and UAE — are close to securing clearances from their respective governments. The tournament is set to follow the group stage and Super Fours format and will be played in the T20 format.

Though Sri Lanka was considered as an alternate venue, heavy monsoon rains in September, averaging 200—300mm, have made the UAE a safer and more reliable option. Unlike the 2023 edition — where India played exclusively in Sri Lanka while Pakistan hosted the rest — the entire Asia Cup 2025 could now take place across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

The 2023 edition, played in the ODI format ahead of the World Cup, was split between Pakistan and Sri Lanka after India declined to travel. Earlier this year, during the Champions Trophy, India’s matches — including the final — were staged in the UAE under similar conditions. The 2025 edition may set the tone for bigger ICC events ahead, including the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in 2026.

According to an internal memo accessed by India Today, the ACC raised concerns about revenue loss and activation delays: “In the absence of this information, their ability to plan effectively, allocate resources, and execute their campaigns is significantly constrained. Both Sony and our sponsorship partner TCM have expressed apprehension that any further delays could lead to missed commercial opportunities — losses that may be irrecoverable due to scheduling constraints and limited lead time.”

"Such news is devoid of any truth as till now, BCCI has not even discussed or taken any such steps regarding the ensuing ACC events, let alone writing anything to the ACC. At this stage, our prime focus is on the ongoing IPL and subsequent England series, both men and women.”

From playing on the pitch to analysing it from the press box, Satish has spent over three decades living and breathing sport. A cricketer-turned-journalist, he has covered three Cricket World Cups, the 2025 Champions Trophy, countless IPL seasons, F1 races, horse racing classics, and tennis in Dubai. Cricket is his home ground, but he sees himself as an all-rounder - breaking stories, building pages, going live on podcasts, and interviewing legends across every corner of the sporting world. Satish started on the back pages, and earned his way to the front, now leading the sports team at Gulf News, where he has spent 25 years navigating the fast-evolving game of journalism. Whether it’s a Super-Over thriller or a behind-the-scenes story, he aims to bring insight, energy, and a fan’s heart to every piece. Because like sport, journalism is about showing up, learning every day, and giving it everything.

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