Karachi: The official schedule for the Asia Cup 2025 has been formally announced, confirming that the highly anticipated Pakistan vs. India showdown will take place on September 14.

The tournament, hosted in the United Arab Emirates, will run from September 9 to September 28. This edition will feature eight teams, an increase of two from the previous tournament.

Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced the dates on Saturday. The tournament will be played in the T20 format, keeping the upcoming World Cup in mind.

Group A includes Pakistan, India, Oman, and host UAE, while Group B comprises Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka. The opening match on September 9 will be between Bangladesh and Hong Kong.

The top two teams from each group will advance to the next stage, forming a new four-team group. The top two teams from this phase will then compete in the final on September 28.

India is the formal host of this tournament, but under an agreement between the BCCI and PCB, a neutral venue will be provided for matches involving either team if an event is held in India or Pakistan over the next three years.

Under this same agreement, India played all its matches in Dubai during this year’s Champions Trophy held in Pakistan, including their match against Pakistan and the final, which India won.

The India-Pakistan match in the Asia Cup is consistently the most financially beneficial, which is why both teams are grouped together to ensure at least two clashes: the first on September 14, and a potential second on September 21. If both teams reach the final, it will be the first time an Asia Cup final features a Pakistan-India encounter. India is the defending champion, having defeated Sri Lanka in the previous edition’s final. Prior to that, Sri Lanka had beaten Pakistan in the 2022 T20 format Asia Cup final.