Asia Cup 2025: ACC Eyes Mid-September Start as Optimism Surges OR Asia Cup 2025: ACC Targets September Launch Amid Easing India-Pakistan Tensions OR ACC Aims for September Asia Cup Kick-Off Amid Renewed Hope for India-Pakistan Participation

India were champions of the previous edition of the Asia Cup in 2023 © Getty

Is the Asia Cup deadlock nearing a resolution? While it's too early for definitive conclusions regarding the continental championship, there's a palpable increase in optimism surrounding the tournament, a welcome shift from the prior uncertainty fueled by tensions between India and Pakistan.

While firm decisions are pending, indications suggest a formal resolution could emerge next week. Furthermore, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) anticipates releasing the schedule for the six-team tournament in the first week of July, coinciding with their expected convention.

If everything proceeds as planned, the ACC is reportedly aiming for a mid-September commencement. The T20 format tournament is tentatively scheduled to begin on September 10. Alongside India and Pakistan, participating teams will include Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the UAE. Promotional activities for the tournament are already underway.

The UAE remains the leading contender to host the tournament, although discussions about a hybrid hosting arrangement are also taking place. While India is the designated host, the ACC previously stipulated that when India or Pakistan are due to host the Asia Cup, a neutral venue would be selected, due to the existing geopolitical tensions.

The tournament's future was clouded by the terror attack in Pahalgam in April. The situation worsened after India launched Operation Sindoor against Pakistan in May, casting significant doubt on the tournament's viability. Calls for an Indian boycott of Pakistan in multilateral events also grew. Currently, India does not participate in bilateral cricket with Pakistan. Speculation even arose that an Indian boycott of Pakistan in global events would be discussed at the next ICC meeting.

However, recent developments in international cricket suggest a potential change in direction. The International Cricket Council (ICC) swiftly released schedules for two major global events: the Women's ODI World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, and the Women's T20 World Cup in England. India and Pakistan are slated to clash in both tournaments, first on October 5 in Colombo and then on June 14 at Edgbaston.

Although officials from the BCCI, ACC, and ICC have remained publicly silent on the matter, it appears that cricketing ties between the two arch-rivals will persist, at least in global events. These matches remain the most significant revenue generators for global cricket. It's crucial to note that this revenue primarily benefits global cricket, not necessarily Indian cricket. While India and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are not heavily reliant on the revenue from these high-profile matches, governing bodies such as the ICC, the ACC, and their member boards are.