Asia Cup 2025: ACC Eyes September Launch Amid Easing India-Pakistan Tensions

The Asia Cup saga may be nearing a resolution. While it's still early to draw firm conclusions, there's a growing sense of optimism surrounding the continental championship, a significant shift from previous uncertainty fueled by tensions between India and Pakistan.

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

Although nothing is set in stone, a formal decision could be made next week. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) aims to release the schedule for the six-team tournament in early July, coinciding with a planned meeting.

The ACC is reportedly targeting a September start, with September 10 as a likely date. The tournament will be played in the T20 format. Alongside India and Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the UAE are expected to participate. Promotional activities for the event have already commenced.

The UAE remains the leading candidate to host the tournament, although discussions about a hybrid format are also ongoing. While India is the designated host, the ACC previously decided that Asia Cups hosted by either India or Pakistan would be held at a neutral venue.

The tournament's future was clouded by the terror attack in Pahalgam in April. Tensions further escalated after India's Operation Sindoor against Pakistan in May, raising serious doubts about the event. Calls for boycotting Pakistan in multilateral events also grew within India. Currently, India does not engage in bilateral cricket with Pakistan. There was even speculation about discussing India's boycott of Pakistan in global events at the next ICC meeting.

Recent developments in world cricket suggest a potential shift. The International Cricket Council (ICC) recently unveiled 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 slated to clash in both tournaments – on October 5 in Colombo and June 14 at Edgbaston.

While officials from the BCCI, ACC, or ICC have remained silent publicly, cricketing ties between the rivals appear set to continue, at least in global events. These matches are significant revenue streams for global cricket. While India and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) aren't heavily reliant on these high-profile encounters, governing bodies like the ICC, the ACC, and their member boards are.