Asia Cup 2025: ACC Aims for September Start as Optimism Surges Amid India-Pakistan Tensions

The Asia Cup saga may be approaching a resolution. While it's too early to declare a definitive outcome for the continental championship, a renewed sense of optimism now surrounds the tournament, contrasting with previous uncertainties stemming from tensions between India and Pakistan.

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

While details remain to be finalized, a formal decision could be reached as early as next week. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is aiming to release the schedule for the six-team tournament in the first week of July, coinciding with their expected convention.

If plans materialize, the ACC is targeting a start date in the second week of September, with September 10th being considered as a potential launch day for the T20 format tournament. Alongside India and Pakistan, participating teams are set to include Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the UAE. Promotional activities for the tournament are already underway.

The UAE remains the leading candidate to host the tournament, although discussions are open to staging it in a hybrid format. While India is the designated host, the ACC previously decided that when either India or Pakistan is due to host the Asia Cup, the event would take place at a neutral venue.

The tournament's future faced uncertainty following the terror attack in Pahalgam in April. Matters worsened after India launched Operation Sindoor against Pakistan in May, further clouding the tournament's prospects. Calls for an India boycott of Pakistan in multilateral events also grew. Currently, India does not participate in bilateral cricket with Pakistan. Discussions about a potential India boycott of Pakistan in global events were even slated for the next ICC meeting.

However, recent developments in global cricket suggest a shift in direction. The International Cricket Council (ICC) released schedules for two major events: the Women's ODI World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, and the Women's T20 World Cup in England. India and Pakistan are scheduled to compete in both tournaments – on October 5th in Colombo and June 14th at Edgbaston.

Although officials from the BCCI, ACC, and ICC have remained silent on the matter, it appears that cricketing ties between the two rivals will continue, at least in global events. These matches are significant revenue generators for global cricket. While India and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) aren't necessarily dependent on revenue from these high-profile matches, governing bodies like the ICC, the ACC, and their member boards rely heavily on them.