Asia Cup 2025 dates confirmed; tournament to be held in the UAE

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) confirmed that the 2025 Asia Cup will be conducted from September 9 to 28 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The tournament serves as a crucial preparation avenue for the 2026 T20 World Cup, set to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

This marks the fifth time that the UAE will play host to the tournament. The nation hosted consecutive editions in 2018 and 2022, the latter of which was contested in the shortest format.

The decision to approve the 2025 Asia Cup came during the recently held Annual General Meeting in Dhaka. The Board of Control for India (BCCI) are the designated host of the tournament, and the release of the full schedule, reportedly involving eight teams, will be unveiled shortly.

Newly elected ACC President Mohsin Naqvi formally announced that the tournament will be staged in September 2025.

"I am delighted to confirm the dates of the ACC Men's Asia Cup 2025 in UAE. The prestigious tournament will take place from September 9th to 28th. We look forward to a spectacular display of cricket. Details scheduled will be out soon," a social media post read.

The tournament will mark Team India's first white-ball action since the 2025 Champions Trophy, as their tour of Bangladesh, initially scheduled for August, has been postponed to 2026.

India are the defending Asia Cup champions after their triumph in 2023

Team India won the last edition of the tournament in Sri Lanka, which was contested in a hybrid model. The last edition was held in the 50-over format, keeping the 2023 ODI World Cup in mind.

The Men in Blue had outplayed Sri Lanka in the final at Colombo to win their record-extending eighth title in the process. The Suryakumar Yadav-led side have a massive task to kickstart the white-ball heavy season, aiming to secure India's second-ever title in the shorter format model of the competition after 2016.