India and Pakistan may clash up to three more times this year, potentially in the UAE, with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) tentatively scheduling the Asia Cup for September. The continental tournament, set to be played in the T20 format this time around, will feature as many as 19 games and is expected to run between the second and fourth week of September.
According to media reports, the tournament was originally allotted to India. However, due to the political dynamics between India and Pakistan, the ACC has decided to hold it at a neutral venue. Because, In the Champions Trophy 2025, Pakistan are the designated hosts but India are not playing in the country after the BCCI refused to send its team. That lead to a big tussle between the two teams with India’s matches being shifted to Dubai.
While the exact location has yet to be finalized, ACC officials are reportedly considering Sri Lanka and the UAE as potential hosts. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will remain the designated host.
This decision, understandably, is to avoid any controversy about the India and Pakistan teams not wanting to travel to each other’s countries – something that was witnessed during the ongoing Champions Trophy. The Indian team has been allowed to play in Dubai in a hybrid model, leading to the PCB seeking a similar arrangement for next year’s T20 World Cup, which will be hosted by the BCCI and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
September’s weather conditions could pose a challenge for cricket, but since the tournament will follow the shorter T20 format, matches can be scheduled during the cooler evening hours.
Eight teams—Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, UAE, Oman, Hong Kong, India, and Pakistan—will compete in the championship. Notably, Nepal, an emerging associate nation from the subcontinent, will not be part of this edition.
Despite participating in the 2023 Asia Cup, Nepal did not qualify this time.
Generally, Asia Cup is divided in two groups of four teams each. India and Pakistan are always kept in the same group. The top two teams from each group progress to the Super Four stage. The top two teams in Super 4 then enter final. Generally, the groupings in Asia Cup are kept as such that there is high probability of at least two India vs Pakistan matches.