Asia Cup 2025: Cricket Council Aims for September Launch Amid Easing India-Pakistan Tensions

The Asia Cup could be on track after recent uncertainty. While it may be too early to declare a complete resolution, there's a growing sense of optimism surrounding the tournament, especially considering previous tensions between India and Pakistan.

Formal decisions are expected next week. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) aims to release the schedule for the six-team tournament in early July, potentially during a scheduled meeting.

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

The ACC is reportedly targeting a September start, with September 10 as a possible date. The tournament will be played in the T20 format. Participating teams include India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the UAE. Promotional activities for the tournament are reportedly already underway.

The UAE remains the likely host, although a hybrid format is also under consideration. Due to the political climate, the ACC previously decided that when India or Pakistan are scheduled to host the Asia Cup, the tournament would be held at a neutral venue.

Uncertainty clouded the tournament after the terror attack in Pahalgam in April. Further escalating matters, India's Operation Sindoor against Pakistan in May raised concerns. Calls for an Indian boycott of Pakistan in multilateral events grew louder, especially given the absence of bilateral cricket between the two nations. There were suggestions that an Indian boycott would be discussed at the next ICC meeting.

However, recent developments suggest a shift. The ICC released schedules for the Women's ODI World Cup (India and Sri Lanka) and the Women's T20 World Cup (England), with India and Pakistan scheduled to compete in both. Their first match is slated for October 5 in Colombo, followed by another on June 14 at Edgbaston.

Despite the silence from officials within the BCCI, ACC, and ICC, cricketing ties between the rivals seem set to continue, especially in global events. These matches are significant revenue streams for global cricket. While India and the BCCI may not depend heavily on revenue from these matches, governing bodies like the ICC and ACC, along with their member boards, do.