India likely to lose Asia Cup 2025 hosting  

The upcoming Men’s Asia Cup 2025 is under threat as event is likely to be move away from India, local media reported Thursday.

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is currently mulling over tentatively scheduling the Asia Cup for September with arch-rivals India and Pakistan may clash three times in the tournament.

The tournament will be played in the T20 format and is set to feature 19 matches and is expected to be played in mid 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 is considering to host the tournament at a neutral venue.

There is no official word from ACC available yet on the issue, as officials are reportedly considering Sri Lanka and the UAE as potential venues.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will remain the designated host of the tournament.

A recent ACC decision mandates that the tournament be held in a neutral country whenever it is the turn of either the BCCI or the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to host.

The decision aims to avoid potential controversies, as most recently the BCCI and the PCB were at loggerheads over the Champions Trophy, with India ended up playing matches in Dubai.

In response, the PCB is now 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 tournament