India is all set to host the Men’s Asia Cup 2025, with the tournament set to be played in the T20 format.
This announcement from the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) marks a significant return of the Asia Cup to India after more than three decades, the last being in 1990-91 when India clinched the title against Sri Lanka.
The upcoming Asia Cup 2025 will feature six teams, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, and a sixth team to be determined through a qualifying event.
While specific dates for the Men’s Asia Cup 2025 are yet to be finalised, it is expected to take place in September 2025, following the Indian monsoon season.
This decision aligns with the ICC’s Future Tours Programme, which outlines a busy schedule for India, including a series against England and Bangladesh leading up to the Asia Cup.
The event will comprise a total of 13 matches, showcasing the growing popularity of T20 cricket in the region, especially as teams prepare for the T20 World Cup co-hosted by the USA and West Indies in 2024.
Following the 2025 tournament, Bangladesh is scheduled to host the 2027 edition of the Asia Cup, which will revert to the One Day International (ODI) format.
This alternating format strategy aims to cater to diverse cricketing preferences across the region.
As of now, specific stadiums that will host the Asia Cup 2025 matches in India have not been officially confirmed.
However, several prominent venues are likely candidates based on their history of hosting international cricket events and their capacity to accommodate large crowds.
Likely venues for Asia Cup 2025 are Eden Gardens, Kolkata, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, and Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
Pakistan is expected to participate in the Asia Cup 2025, which will be hosted by India in a T20 format.
However, the participation of Pakistan in this tournament is contingent on the current political and diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan.
Historically, India and Pakistan have not played bilateral series since 2012-2013, with their encounters mostly limited to ICC tournaments and the Asia Cup.