UAE gears up for action-packed high-octane cricket razzmatazz
In the tournament happening from Sept.9-28, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi as the likely venues, India, Pakistan, UAE and Oman are placed in Group A, while Group B comprises of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Hong Kong.
After the group stage clash between India and Pakistan on Sept.14, both the teams might take on each other in the Super Fours and potentially the final to be held on Sept.28.
It is understood that India will play all its game at the Dubai International Stadium, though the schedule released by ACC doesn't have any mention of it.
'Hosting the ACC Men's T20 Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE allows fans from across Asia to come together in a setting that mirrors our region's incredible diversity. When crowds gather to witness the tournament's unforgettable clashes, it will be a great reminder of cricket's power to build bridges,' said ACC President Mohsin Naqvi said in an official statement.
It's also the first time Asia Cup, to be held in the T20I format keeping in mind the preparation for 2026 Men's T20 World Cup, will have eight teams.
Top two teams from each group will proceed to the Super Fours stage, with the top two facing each other in the title clash.
While India is the designated host of the Asia Cup, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will stage the tournament in the UAE due to the mutual agreement between them and Pakistan to play at neutral venues in 2027 owing to the geopolitical and diplomatic tensions between the two nations.
The tournament was in uncertainty due to India-Pakistan cross-border tensions in May, but an ACC meeting in Dhaka on July 24 cleared the decks for the tournament to happen.
A recent spat of a brief war between the countries added fuel to the rivalry.
The neighbours have not met on either side's soil in a bilateral series since 2012, and only play each other in international tournaments on neutral grounds as part of a compromise deal.
But already-frosty relations took a turn for the worse this year when the two nuclear rivals fought an intense four-day conflict, their worst standoff in decades.
More than 70 people were killed in missile, drone and artillery fire on both sides.
The conflict was triggered by an April 22 attack on civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi accused Pakistan of backing -- a charge Islamabad denies.
India are the defending champions of the Asia Cup, having beaten Sri Lanka in the 2023 final held in the 50-over format in Colombo.
Sri Lanka had won the Asia Cup in the T20I version after beating Pakistan in the final in 2022.
'The ACC Men's T20 Asia Cup is the marquee event of Asian cricket, and we are proud to present an expanded platform this year. This year marks yet another milestone in ACC's journey and a noteworthy development for cricket in Asia.'
'With the inclusion of additional teams in the tournament, we are witnessing the game's boundaries expand, both geographically and competitively. This will be Asia Cup at its finest,' added Naqvi.
Earlier, Naqvi, the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), was appointed as the new President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Naqvi was elected as the new ACC President in an online meeting and took charge immediately.
'I am deeply honoured to assume the presidency of the Asian Cricket Council. Asia remains the heartbeat of world cricket, and I am committed to working with all member boards to accelerate the game's growth and global influence.
'Together, we will unlock new opportunities, foster greater collaboration, and take Asian cricket to unprecedented heights. I also extend my sincere thanks to the outgoing ACC President for his leadership and contributions to the ACC during his tenure,' said Naqvi in a statement.
Naqvi, who has been PCB Chairman since February 2024, will serve as the ACC President for two years and succeeds Shammi Silva, the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President.
'It has been a privilege to serve as President of the Asian Cricket Council. The steadfast commitment of our member boards working together has been pivotal in elevating ACC's stature across the region.
Agencies
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gulf Today
14 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Asia Cup cricket tournament to be held in UAE from Sept.9-28
The men's Asia Cup cricket tournament will be played in the UAE from Sept.9-28, a top official of the Asian Cricket Council said on Saturday. "I am delighted to confirm the dates for the ACC Men's Asia Cup 2025 in UAE,' ACC president Mohsin Naqvi wrote on X. "We look forward to a spectacular display of cricket! Detailed Schedule will be out soon.' Five full members of the ACC — Afghanistan, Bangladesh, official host India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka — along with UAE, Oman and Hong Kong will participate in the Twenty20 event. India is the official host but the tournament is being held at a neutral venue for rivals India and Pakistan. Naqvi, who is also chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, led an ACC annual general meeting in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Thursday, but didn't confirm the dates after the meeting. According to reports, eight teams will compete: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Hong Kong, UAE, and Oman. A total of 19 matches will be played, with the final scheduled for 28 September. The tournament will follow the T20 format. Pakistan and India are expected to be in the same group, which could lead to three possible encounters—one in the group stage, one in the Super Four, and potentially a third in the final. Agencies
The National
17 hours ago
- The National
Hosts UAE to play India and Pakistan in T20 Asia Cup in September
The UAE is all set to host the T20 Asia Cup in September after organisers announced the schedule for the tournament, ending speculation on the fate of the event following tensions between India and Pakistan. The subcontinent neighbours had been locked in a diplomatic standoff since an intense four-day conflict earlier in the year. A quick ceasefire was announced between the countries but India announced it remained on high alert. India also announced the suspension of most bilateral ties, leading to concerns over the Asia Cup. The South Asian rivals have not played any bilateral series since 2012 and only play each other in international tournaments on neutral grounds as part of a compromise deal. However, even that seemed unlikely this time, until an agreement was reached recently, clearing the path for India's participation in the Asia Cup. Late on Saturday, Asian Cricket Council and Pakistan cricket chief Mohsin Naqvi announced the dates for the tournament that will take place in the UAE from September 9 to 28. The venues for the matches will be announced at a later date. 'I am delighted to confirm the dates for the ACC Men's Asia Cup 2025 in UAE,' Naqvi posted on platform X. 'The prestigious tournament will take place from September 9 to 28.' India and Pakistan are in Group A with Oman and hosts UAE. Group B comprises of Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Hong Kong. The top two from each group will qualify for the Super 4 stage where all four teams will play against each other. The top two teams will then go through to the final. Pakistan and India are favourites to qualify from Group A. The tournament could potentially see three matches between the rivals, if they qualify for the final. The five full members of the ACC – Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka – earned automatic qualification to the tournament. They were joined by Hong Kong, Oman and the UAE who secured their spots by finishing in the top three of the ACC men's Premier Cup. The Asia Cup is being seen as preparation for the T20 World Cup early next year, which is set to take place in India and Sri Lanka. The Asia Cup tournament is held in ODI and T20 formats. India are the defending champions, having beaten Sri Lanka in the final of the previous edition in 2023. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, won the Asia Cup when it was last played in the T20 format in 2022 after they beat Pakistan in the final. The UAE, meanwhile, will be confident of putting up a good show. They are on a roll in the T20 format, having recently defeated a strong Bangladesh team in Sharjah. They are currently competing in the Pearls of Africa T20 Cup in Uganda. The UAE, captained by Muhammad Waseem, have won four out of five matches in the tournament so far. In their latest clash, the UAE beat Nigeria by 53 runs, dismissing their opponents for 88 after posting 141-5. T20 Asia Cup 2025 fixtures September 9: Afghanistan v Hong Kong September 10: India v UAE September 11: Bangladesh v Hong Kong September 12: Pakistan v Oman September 13: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka September 14: India v Pakistan September 15: UAE v Oman September 15: Sri Lanka v Hong Kong September 16: Bangladesh v Afghanistan September 17: Pakistan v UAE September 18: Sri Lanka v Afghanistan September 19: India v Oman September 20-26: Super 4 September 28: Final
Gulf Today
19 hours ago
- Gulf Today
UAE gears up for action-packed high-octane cricket razzmatazz
India and Pakistan are set to meet in the marquee 2025 Men's Asia Cup group stage clash on Sept.14. In the detailed fixtures announced by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) on Saturday, India will also face UAE and Oman on Sept.10 and 19 respectively. In the tournament happening from Sept.9-28, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi as the likely venues, India, Pakistan, UAE and Oman are placed in Group A, while Group B comprises of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Hong Kong. After the group stage clash between India and Pakistan on Sept.14, both the teams might take on each other in the Super Fours and potentially the final to be held on Sept.28. It is understood that India will play all its game at the Dubai International Stadium, though the schedule released by ACC doesn't have any mention of it. 'Hosting the ACC Men's T20 Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE allows fans from across Asia to come together in a setting that mirrors our region's incredible diversity. When crowds gather to witness the tournament's unforgettable clashes, it will be a great reminder of cricket's power to build bridges,' said ACC President Mohsin Naqvi said in an official statement. It's also the first time Asia Cup, to be held in the T20I format keeping in mind the preparation for 2026 Men's T20 World Cup, will have eight teams. Top two teams from each group will proceed to the Super Fours stage, with the top two facing each other in the title clash. While India is the designated host of the Asia Cup, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will stage the tournament in the UAE due to the mutual agreement between them and Pakistan to play at neutral venues in 2027 owing to the geopolitical and diplomatic tensions between the two nations. The tournament was in uncertainty due to India-Pakistan cross-border tensions in May, but an ACC meeting in Dhaka on July 24 cleared the decks for the tournament to happen. A recent spat of a brief war between the countries added fuel to the rivalry. The neighbours have not met on either side's soil in a bilateral series since 2012, and only play each other in international tournaments on neutral grounds as part of a compromise deal. But already-frosty relations took a turn for the worse this year when the two nuclear rivals fought an intense four-day conflict, their worst standoff in decades. More than 70 people were killed in missile, drone and artillery fire on both sides. The conflict was triggered by an April 22 attack on civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi accused Pakistan of backing -- a charge Islamabad denies. India are the defending champions of the Asia Cup, having beaten Sri Lanka in the 2023 final held in the 50-over format in Colombo. Sri Lanka had won the Asia Cup in the T20I version after beating Pakistan in the final in 2022. 'The ACC Men's T20 Asia Cup is the marquee event of Asian cricket, and we are proud to present an expanded platform this year. This year marks yet another milestone in ACC's journey and a noteworthy development for cricket in Asia.' 'With the inclusion of additional teams in the tournament, we are witnessing the game's boundaries expand, both geographically and competitively. This will be Asia Cup at its finest,' added Naqvi. Earlier, Naqvi, the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), was appointed as the new President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Naqvi was elected as the new ACC President in an online meeting and took charge immediately. 'I am deeply honoured to assume the presidency of the Asian Cricket Council. Asia remains the heartbeat of world cricket, and I am committed to working with all member boards to accelerate the game's growth and global influence. 'Together, we will unlock new opportunities, foster greater collaboration, and take Asian cricket to unprecedented heights. I also extend my sincere thanks to the outgoing ACC President for his leadership and contributions to the ACC during his tenure,' said Naqvi in a statement. Naqvi, who has been PCB Chairman since February 2024, will serve as the ACC President for two years and succeeds Shammi Silva, the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President. 'It has been a privilege to serve as President of the Asian Cricket Council. The steadfast commitment of our member boards working together has been pivotal in elevating ACC's stature across the region. Agencies
