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India-Pakistan fans can expect more matches this year as the Asia Cup reportedly returns in September in T20 edition.
The next India-Pakistan matches will likely be played in September.
Fans can potentially see three more India-Pakistan matches this year as the men’s Asia Cup is reportedly set to return in September. According to a report in Cricbuzz, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has decided on a tentative window for the tournament between the second and fourth week of September.
The tournament will be played in T20 format and will reportedly see a total of 19 matches. Moreover, although India is the official host for the 2025 Asia Cup, the tournament will likely be played in Sri Lanka or the UAE.
The report said that the ACC has decided that all editions with either India or Pakistan as the hosts will be played in a neutral country due to the two nations’ historic tensions. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will remain the official host for the 2025 edition.
The same tensions gripped the leadup to the ongoing 2025 Champions Trophy, which was to be hosted by Pakistan, as the schedule release was delayed due to the discussions between the BCCI, the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The BCCI had expressed their hesitations in traveling to the neighboring country due to security reasons and the parties eventually decided on a hybrid model. India’s matches are being played in the UAE.
In the group stage, the Men in Blue beat Pakistan by six wickets. If they reach the final, the summit clash will also be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Apart from India and Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong will take part in the 2025 Asia Cup. Nepal, which was part of the last tournament in 2023, hasn’t qualified.
The eight teams will likely be divided into two groups. India and Pakistan have tended to be in the same group in every ICC tournament due to the clash’s commercial appeal for the organizers.
The top two from each to play in the Super Four stage. Here India and Pakistan can come up against each other for the second time and then qualify in the top two again to play the final as well.
India are the defending champions, having beaten Sri Lanka in the final in 2023.
