Asia Cup 2025: Know whether the tournament will be played in T20I or ODI format

The Asia Cup 2025 is confirmed to be held from September 9, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) hosting the tournament. The event will take place across tow venues in the United Arab Emirates and will follow the T20 International format, with official announcements already made.

The Asia Cup, held every two years to determine Asia’s top cricket team, began in 1984 in Sharjah, UAE — which was also the home of the Asian Cricket Council until 1995. The tournament has occasionally faced political challenges, such as India missing the 1986 edition due to tensions with Sri Lanka, and Pakistan skipping the 1990–91 event because of strained relations with India.

Since 2009, the Asia Cup has consistently followed a biennial schedule, with all matches officially recognised as One Day Internationals (ODIs) by the ICC. However, recent editions have alternated between ODI and T20I formats, sparking curiosity among fans about the reasons behind the change.

Asia Cup 2025 format- ODI or T20I?

It has been confirmed that the Asia Cup 2025 will take place in the T20 format, with the final scheduled for September 28 after the competition begins on September 9. With a high level of drama and fierce rivalry, the India-Pakistan encounter, which is scheduled for September 14 in Dubai, is one of the tournament's most anticipated events. 

The ICC implemented a rotation strategy for the Asia Cup format between ODIs and T20Is after the Asian Cricket Council was reorganized in 2015. Teams are better prepared for impending world events with this method. The Asia Cup is played as a T20 event when a T20 World Cup is coming up; if a 50-over World Cup is coming up, the ODI format is used.

For instance, in order to prepare for the T20 World Cup that year, the 2016 Asia Cup was contested as a T20 competition. Since then, the tournament structure has changed to accommodate teams' preparation requirements for important competitions and the ICC's international schedule.

The last Asia Cup, played in 2023, was in ODI format before the ICC World Cup that year and India won that tournament. Meanwhile the last Asia Cup in T20I format, was played in Dubai as well in 2022, and Sri Lanka stunned everyone by defeating Pakistan in the final and becoming champions.

Full Schedule of Asia Cup 2025 (T20 Format)

Group Stage Matches

September 9 (Tuesday): Afghanistan vs Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi

September 10 (Wednesday): India vs UAE, Dubai

September 11 (Thursday): Bangladesh vs Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi

September 12 (Friday): Pakistan vs Oman, Dubai

September 13 (Saturday): Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka, Abu Dhabi

September 14 (Sunday): India vs Pakistan, Dubai

September 15 (Monday): UAE vs Oman, Abu Dhabi

September 15 (Monday): Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong, Dubai

September 16 (Tuesday): Bangladesh vs Afghanistan, Dubai

September 17 (Wednesday): Pakistan vs UAE, Abu Dhabi

September 18 (Thursday): Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan, Dubai

September 19 (Friday): India vs Oman, Abu Dhabi

Super 4 Stage

September 20 (Saturday): Group B Qualifier 1 vs Group B Qualifier 2, Dubai

September 21 (Sunday): Group A Qualifier 1 vs Group A Qualifier 2, Dubai

September 23 (Tuesday): Group A Qualifier 1 vs Group B Qualifier 2, Abu Dhabi

September 24 (Wednesday): Group B Qualifier 1 vs Group A Qualifier 2, Dubai

September 25 (Thursday): Group A Qualifier 2 vs Group B Qualifier 2, Dubai

September 26 (Friday): Group A Qualifier 1 vs Group B Qualifier 1, Dubai

Final

September 28 (Sunday): Final, Dubai

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