Asia Cup 2025 is just a few days away and the excitement of cricket fans is skyrocketing, But a big update has come even before the tournament starts.
The timing of the matches of this tournament to be held in UAE has been changed. Earlier these matches were to start at 6 pm (UAE time), but now they have been delayed by half an hour in view of the heat.
That is, now all the matches will start at 6:30 pm (UAE time) i.e. 8 pm in India.
Why the timing changed?
The temperature in UAE reaches 40 degrees in September. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) took this decision to protect the players from the sweat-inducing heat during the day.
The cricket boards had requested the broadcasters to delay the matches a little so that the players and fans get relief.
Broadcasters also gave the green signal to this change. Now 18 out of 19 matches will be day-night, which will start at 8 pm (IST). Only one match, which will be between UAE and Oman on September 15, will be played during the day at 5:30 pm (IST).
India’s match schedule
Asia Cup 2025 is being played in T20 format, which is perfect for preparation for the 2026 T20 World Cup. India will start its campaign against UAE on 10 September.
But all eyes are on the high-voltage India-Pakistan match on September 14. This blockbuster match will be held at Dubai International Stadium. India’s third group match will be against Oman on September 19 in Abu Dhabi.
Under the captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav, India will enter as the defending champions and fans hope that the team will bring the trophy home this time too.
What is the format of the tournament?
8 teams are participating in the Asia Cup, which are divided into two groups. Group A has India, Pakistan, UAE and Oman, while Group B has Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Hong Kong.
The top-2 teams of each group will go to the Super Four and then the top-2 teams will play the final on September 28. All the matches will be held in two magnificent stadiums of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
