Glittering ceremony in Dubai launches Asia Cup 2025 trophy

The countdown to the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 gathered pace on Tuesday as the glittering tournament trophy was unveiled in a ceremony attended by the captains of all eight participating sides.

Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi led the unveiling in Dubai, marking the official start of the build-up to the event, which begins in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) today (September 9).

Cricket fans across Asia are abuzz with excitement as final squads are confirmed and preparations near completion, setting the stage for three weeks of top-flight cricket.

Asia Cup 2025 will kick off with Afghanistan taking on minnows Hong Kong at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

The tournament will be played across two venues — Dubai International Cricket Stadium and Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium — with Abu Dhabi hosting eight matches, including a Super Four clash on September 23, and Dubai staging the majority of games, including both high-profile Pakistan-India encounters, should the arch-rivals qualify beyond the group stage.

Pakistan, fresh from their tri-nation series victory, have been placed in Group A alongside India, Oman, and hosts UAE. The Green Shirts will open their campaign on September 12 against Oman in Dubai, followed by the much-awaited clash with India on September 14, before concluding their group stage on September 17 against the UAE.

Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav said during the trophy unveiling ceremony that his side was “equally excited” for the Asia Cup, describing the Twenty20 format as highly challenging, where “any team can deliver an extraordinary performance”.

Group B features Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Hong Kong. The top two sides from each group will advance to the Super Four stage, with the final scheduled for September 28 in Dubai.

All matches will start at 6pm Gulf Standard Time (7 PST), except for the September 15 fixture between the UAE and Oman.

Former Pakistan fast-bowling great Wasim Akram has urged players and fans from both sides to remain disciplined and not cross the line during the high-voltage Pakistan-India matches.