India vs Pakistan Set for Three More Clashes in 2025 as Asia Cup Scheduled for September

Pakistan will have an opportunity to seek redemption for their Champions Trophy 2025 defeat against India in Dubai—a loss that led to their early exit from the home tournament—as the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) plans to schedule the 2025 Asia Cup in September.

With the 2026 T20 World Cup approaching, the Asia Cup will follow the T20 format. According to a Cricbuzz report, cricket fans may get to witness up to three India-Pakistan clashes later this year. The tournament is expected to take place between the second and fourth weeks of September.

Originally set to be hosted in India, the 17th edition of the Asia Cup will feature 19 matches. However, given the ongoing political tensions between India and Pakistan, the ACC is likely to opt for a neutral venue. While the final location has not been confirmed, officials are reportedly considering Sri Lanka and the UAE as potential options. Despite the venue shift, the BCCI will retain hosting rights.

ACC avoids Champions Trophy fiasco

According to a document accessed by Cricbuzz, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has taken a key decision to prevent a repeat of the controversy that surrounded the Champions Trophy 2025 regarding India’s participation in Pakistan.

With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unable to secure government approval for travel to Pakistan, Rohit Sharma’s team played all their Champions Trophy matches in Dubai. To avoid a similar situation, the ACC is prioritizing a neutral venue from the outset for all 19 matches of the 2025 Asia Cup.

The tournament will feature eight teams: Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, UAE, Oman, Hong Kong, India, and Pakistan. Nepal, which participated in the 2023 edition, will miss out this time after failing to qualify. The competition will follow a familiar format, with teams divided into two groups. The top two from each group will advance to the Super Four stage, leading to a final between the last two standing.

India, the defending champions, secured the title in the previous edition by defeating Sri Lanka in the final.