The Asia Cup 2025 will be held from September 9 to 28 in the UAE, ending weeks of uncertainty over India’s participation. The tournament’s fate was under a cloud after India–Pakistan relations soured, with some quarters calling for a boycott of Pakistan at global events. However, with PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi serving as Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president, the BCCI had no authority to cancel or postpone the event, though they could have withdrawn.
The Indian board kept silent for weeks before officially confirming participation, much to the relief of organisers and fans.
India’s Previous Withdrawal From the Asia Cup In 1986
If India had pulled out this time, it would not have been unprecedented. Many fans may not know that barring Sri Lanka, no team including India and Pakistan has played in all 17 editions of the Asia Cup. India skipped the 1986 edition despite being defending champions, having won the inaugural tournament in 1984. The withdrawal came due to unrest in Sri Lanka, the host nation at the time, amid the civil war between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The Indian government cited player safety as the priority, leaving Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bangladesh to contest for the title.
India’s Group and Fixtures for Asia Cup 2025
India have been drawn in Group A alongside Pakistan, UAE, and Oman. Group B features Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Hong Kong, and Bangladesh.
India’s group-stage schedule is as follows:
vs UAE – September 10
vs Pakistan – September 14
vs Oman – September 19
Only the top two teams from each group will progress to the Super 4s, with matches scheduled based on the final standings.
India’s Predicted Squad for Asia Cup 2025
India: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana/Prasidh Krishna, Jitesh Sharma/Dhruv Jurel.
With the opener against UAE fast approaching, selectors face tough calls, particularly over Shubman Gill’s role. His form has been outstanding, but the leadership choice will hinge on whether experience is valued over current momentum.
Assurance on India-Pakistan Clash
Despite political tensions, ACC and PCB officials have assured that the much-anticipated India–Pakistan clash on September 14 will go ahead as planned. “While I cannot give a formal guarantee, there is no risk of Pakistan and India not playing. The Asia Cup cannot be compared to private tournaments like the World Championship of Legends, where India refused to play against Pakistan,” ECB COO Subhan Ahmed told the Pakistan Observer.