The Asia Cup 2025, the 17th edition of the prestigious men’s cricket tournament organized by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), is set to begin today, September 9, with Afghanistan taking on Hong Kong.
The event, which will run until September 28, will be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the T20l format, as a preparation for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The matches will be place at two well-known cricket stadiums: the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The UAE has historically shown to be a dependable host for big cricket tournaments, with world-class facilities and a devoted fan base.
This edition will include eight teams: five automatic entries and three qualifiers. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan are all Full Members of the ACC and will automatically participate. They will be joined by the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Hong Kong, who qualified via the ACC Premier Cup 2024.
Teams are placed into two groups:
Group A: India, Pakistan, UAE, and Oman.
Group B: Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong.
Each team will face the other teams in their group once, with the top two from each group progressing to the Super Four round.
The event has three stages: Group Stage, Super Four, and Final. In the Group Stage, each team plays three games. The top two teams from each group advance to the Super Four, where another round-robin round is contested between the four teams. Ultimately, the top two teams from the Super Four will square off in the final.
The structure assures competitive cricket throughout and raises the likelihood of high-profile rematches, most notably the possibility of India and Pakistan facing off up to three times in a single event.
Where to Watch:
Cricket fans in India won’t miss a moment of the Asia Cup 2025 action, owing to Sony Sports Network holding exclusive television broadcast rights. The matches will also be streamed live on SonyLIV, ensuring easy digital access across devices.
Notably, Sony has also partnered with FanCode, India’s leading digital sports platform, to share streaming rights, offering fans even more viewing flexibility. To catch the entire tournament on FanCode, viewers can purchase a digital event pass for just INR 189, making it an affordable option for uninterrupted coverage of all the high-stakes encounters.
