NEW DELHI: The United Arab Emirates will host this year’s T20 Asia Cup tournament in September, organizers said Saturday, ending the uncertainty over its fate amid spiralling tensions between India and Pakistan.
The neighbors 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.
The Asia Cup is played under the aegis of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), which is currently headed by Pakistan cricket chief Mohsin Naqvi.
“I am delighted to confirm the dates for the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 in UAE,” said Naqvi on X.
“The prestigious tournament will take place from September 9th to 28th.”
The five full members of the ACC — Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka — earned automatic qualification to the tournament.
They are to be joined by Hong Kong, Oman and the United Arab Emirates — the teams that secured their spots by finishing in the top three of the ACC men’s Premier Cup.
The previous edition of the event was in a 50-over format, but this year’s tournament was scheduled as a shorter-format event in preparation for next year’s T20 World Cup in India.
India and Pakistan have fought three full-fledged wars since being carved out of the subcontinent’s partition in 1947 and that rivalry is often reflected on the cricket field.
