2025 Asia Cup: ACC announce Dubai, Abu Dhabi as venues; match start time also released

The hype around the 2025 Asia Cup continues to grow as the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) recently announced the venues for this eight-team tournament, along with the starting time. In the latest update, this tournament’s governing council named Dubai and Abu Dhabi as the two venues to host 19 matches from September 9 to 28. The biennial tournament, to be played in the T20 format, will feature ACC’s full members, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, alongside three associate nations, the UAE, Oman and Hong Kong.

All matches will begin at 6 PM UAE time, which translates to 7:30 PM IST – the prime-time viewing for the Indian audiences. Although the 19-day tournament will feature as many games, there will be a rare instance of scheduling overlap (August 15). On India’s Independence Day, two matches will get underway: UAE vs Oman, followed by Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong. The first match begins at 4:30 PM (local time) – 6 PM IST, the second at its scheduled time (7:30 PM IST).

As for India, the Men in Blue will face UAE (Sep 10), Pakistan (Sep 14) and Oman (Sep 19) in the group stage. Assuming the two heavyweights will top Group A, they will again face off in the Super 4 stage a week later (Sep 21). Meanwhile, the dates of India’s remaining Super 4 matches will depend on its position in the league standings.

"ACC T20 Asia Cup venues and match timings are out! Looking forward to packed stadiums and some truly breath-taking encounters," the ACC said in a statement. "With top Asian cricketing nations set to battle it out in one of the most anticipated tournaments of the year, the announcement marks a major step forward in the tournament's preparations. From iconic stadiums to passionate fans, the stage is set for thrilling action across the continent."