Sports
Asia Cup 2025: Schedule, Squads, Points Table & Opening Ceremony
Asia Cup 2025 is the latest edition of Asia’s premier cricketing tournament, showcasing top-tier T20 action among the continent’s finest. Spread between September 9 and September 28, the tournament promises intense battles, colorful ceremonies, and, most notably, the much-hyped India vs Pakistan clash.
Asia Cup 2025 Schedule Overview
Asian Cup 2025 kicks off on September 9 2025 with a Group B showdown between Afghanistan and Hong Kong at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Group Stage – Group A & B
Group A began with India vs UAE (Sep 10) and Pakistan vs Oman (Sep 12), culminating in the centerpiece India vs Pakistan match (Sep 14). The theatrical arcs of T20 strategy, tempo shifts, and unexpected heroes are all in play.
Group B followed a similar arc: Afghanistan vs Hong Kong (Sep 9) set the tone, followed by Bangladesh vs Hong Kong (Sep 11), Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka (Sep 13), and Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong (Sep 15). The final group bout, Bangladesh vs Afghanistan (Sep 16), wraps up the battle for Super Four spots.
Super Four & Final
Post-group stages, the top two teams from each group advance to the Super Four, where they face off in a round-robin format across September 20–26, with the final showdown scheduled for September 28—all at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Opening Ceremony & Trophy Drama
The tournament’s vibrant opening ceremony featured a formal trophy unveiling at the iconic Dubai International Cricket Stadium, conducted under the aegis of the Asian Cricket Council’s President, Mohsin Naqvi.
A standout moment was a dignified handshake between India’s captain, Suryakumar Yadav, and Mohsin Naqvi, who also leads the Pakistan Cricket Board. This rare display of sportsmanship resonated across cricketing circles.
At a joint press conference that followed, the captains of all participating teams were present. Notably, Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan’s captain Salman Ali Agha did not engage directly, seated across from each other with Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan sitting in between. At the end of the session, Suryakumar Yadav offered greetings to other captains but did not approach Salman Ali Agha.
India vs Pakistan: A Rivalry Rekindled
The Ind-Pak match is the fulcrum around which Asia Cup 2025’s narrative pivots. Scheduled for September 14 at Dubai, every statistic, anecdote, and eyebrow raise has found its way into pre-match teasers.
From fans wearing patriotic jerseys to social media threads debating potential XI clashes, the hype is omnipresent. Both nations have kickstarted their campaigns: India downed UAE, Pakistan edged past Oman, setting the stage for a high-voltage face-off. Expect blistering batting duels, flamboyant fielding, and moment-by-moment intensity as both teams chase not just victory, but symbolic dominance.
Key Matches to Watch
Asia Cup 2025 features numerous high-stakes encounters across its matchups. Some critical ones include:
- Afghanistan vs Hong Kong: Fast-paced opener to warm up tournament nerves.
- India vs UAE: India’s opening showcase amid high expectations.
- Pakistan vs Oman: Pakistan’s introduction to the tournament, setting the stage.
- Pakistan vs India: The marquee spectacle on Sep 14.
Furthermore, the Super Four matches—played Sept 20–26—and the thrilling final on Sept 28 promise to deliver the ultimate drama.
Group Standings & Points Table
While real-time standings depend on results, here’s a projection of how the points table logically evolves:
Group A
| Team | Played | Won | Lost | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Pakistan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UAE | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oman | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Group B
| Team | Played | Won | Lost | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Bangladesh | — | — | — | — |
| Sri Lanka | — | — | — | — |
| Hong Kong | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
As the tournament progresses, teams will jockey for top-two finishes to secure Super Four berths. The final points standings will ultimately determine finalists.
Teams & Squads Overview
Based on typical Asia Cup lineups, the eight participating teams include India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong. The full squad lists of the participating teams are as follow:
India Squad for Asia Cup 2025
- Suryakumar Yadav (C)
- Shubman Gill (VC)
- Abhishek Sharma
- Tilak Varma
- Hardik Pandya
- Shivam Dube
- Jitesh Sharma (wk)
- Axar Patel
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Arshdeep Singh
- Varun Chakaravarthy
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Sanju Samson (wk)
- Harshit Rana
- Rinku Singh
- Reserves: Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal
Pakistan Squad for Asia Cup 2025
- Salman Ali Agha (c)
- Abrar Ahmed
- Faheem Ashraf
- Fakhar Zaman
- Haris Rauf
- Hasan Ali
- Hasan Nawaz
- Hussain Talat
- Khushdil Shah
- Mohammad Haris
- Mohammad Nawaz
- Mohammad Waseem Jnr
- Sahibzada Farhan
- Saim Ayub
- Salman Mirza
- Shaheen Afridi
- Sufyan Moqim
Bangladesh Squad for Asia Cup 2025
- Litton Das (c, wk)
- Tanzid Hasan
- Parvez Hossain Emon
- Saif Hassan
- Tawhid Hridoy
- Jaker Ali (wk)
- Shamim Hossain
- Quazi Nurul Hasan Sohan
- Md Rishad Hossain
- Nasum Ahmed
- Mustafizur Rahman
- Tanzim Hasan Sakib
- Taskin Ahmed
- Shoriful Islam
- Shaif Uddin
Sri Lanka Squad for Asia Cup 2025
- Charith Asalanka (c)
- Dushmantha Chameera
- Binura Fernando
- Nuwanidu Fernando
- Wanindu Hasaranga
- Chamika Karunaratne
- Kamindu Mendis
- Kusal Mendis (wk)
- Kamil Mishara
- Pathum Nissanka
- Matheesha Pathirana
- Kusal Perera (wk)
- Dasun Shanaka
- Maheesh Theekshana
- Nuwan Thushara
- Dunith Wellalage
Afghanistan Squad for Asia Cup 2025
- Rashid Khan (c)
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk)
- Ibrahim Zadran
- Darwish Rasooli
- Sediqullah Atal
- Azmatullah Omarzai
- Karim Janat
- Mohammad Nabi
- Gulbadin Naib
- Sharafuddin Ashraf
- Mohammad Ishaq (wk)
- Mujeeb Ur Rahman
- Allah Ghazanfar
- Noor Ahmad
- Fareed Ahmad
- Naveen-ul-Haq
- Fazalhaq Farooqi
Hong Kong Squad for Asia Cup 2025
- Yasim Murtaza (c)
- Babar Hayat
- Zeeshan Ali
- Niazakat Khan Mohammad
- Nasrulla Rana
- Martin Coetzee
- Anshuman Rath
- Kalhan Marc Challu
- Ayush Shukla
- Mohammad Aizaz Khan
- Ateeq ul Rehman Iqbal
- Kinchit Shah
- Ali Hassan
- Shahid Wasif
- Ghazanfar Mohammad
- Mohammad Waheed
- Ehsan Khan
Oman Squad for Asia Cup 2025
- Jatinder Singh (c)
- Hammad Mirza
- Vinayak Shukla
- Sufyan Yousuf
- Ashish Odedera
- Aamir Kaleem
- Mohammed Nadeem
- Sufyan Mehmood
- Aryan Bisht
- Karan Sonavale
- Zikriya Islam
- Hassnain Ali Shah
- Faisal Shah
- Muhammed Imran
- Nadeem Khan
- Shakeel Ahmad
- Samay Shrivastav
United Arab Emirates Squad for Asia Cup 2025
- Muhammad Waseem (C)
- Aryansh Sharma
- Alishan Sharafu
- Asif Khan
- Haider Ali
- Muhammad Rohid
- Junaid Siddique
- Muhammad Farooq
- Muhammad Jawadullah
- Simranjeet Singh
- Saghir Khan
Wrapping It Up
In summation, Asia Cup 2025 is more than matches—it is a tournament rich in context, drama, and regional pride. From its opening ceremony nuances to the India vs Pakistan hype, and the unfolding of group and Super Four grids, it encapsulates cricket’s power to unite, provoke, and inspire.
From September 9 to 28, every boundary, wicket, and catch will ripple through fans’ hearts across Asia and beyond. Whether it’s an Afghanistan spinner baffling an opposition batter, or a last-over thriller in the Super Four—Asia Cup 2025 is where T20 cricket lives its fullest expression.
