17th Asia Cup Cricket Begins Today; Afghanistan Face Hong Kong in Opening Match at Abu Dhabi

By  News On Air   Sep 09, 2025

The 17th Asia Cup cricket will begin today with Afghanistan taking on Hong Kong in the opening match in Abu Dhabi. The match will start at 8 PM Indian Standard Time. The tournament will run until September 28 and will feature eight teams battling for the continental crown.

Played alternately in ODI and T20I formats since 2016, this year’s edition will be contested in the T20 format, providing crucial preparation for next year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. 

Team India is scheduled to start their campaign against the hosts, the UAE, in Dubai in a Group A match tomorrow at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. India is a part of Group A, alongside arch-rivals Pakistan, Oman and the UAE. Pool B consists of Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Hong Kong and Bangladesh. Team India’s final group stage clash will be against Oman on September 19.

The Super Four stage of the tournament will kickstart from September 20 onwards. Each team, the top two from each group, will be playing three games in Dubai to earn a spot in the title clash, scheduled for September 28.