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According to reports from Cricket Pakistan, India has been selected to host the Men’s Asia Cup in 2025. India, who triumphed in the previous 2023 edition, will defend their title in the T20I format for the upcoming tournament.
Additionally, it has been noted that Bangladesh will be the host for the 2027 edition of the Asia Cup, which will revert to the 50-over format. Interestingly, despite being a powerhouse in cricket, India has never before hosted the Asia Cup. This marks a significant first for the nation, which has seen the tournament hosted by countries such as Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the UAE in past editions.
In the last Asia Cup held in 2023, India emerged victorious under the leadership of Rohit Sharma. Known for his captaincy successes, including leading India to the T20 World Cup title in 2024, Sharma is anticipated to continue as India’s captain for the 2025 Asia Cup.
Challenges arise for India as hosts of the Asia Cup 2025.
The primary concern surrounding India hosting the 2025 Men’s Asia Cup revolves around the participation of Pakistani players. Reports indicate that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is actively working to ensure that Indian players will travel to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy. Former Pakistani cricketers have voiced their stance, suggesting that Pakistani players should skip the Asia Cup in India if Indian players do not reciprocate by participating in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan.
Both the 2025 and 2027 editions of the Men’s Asia Cup are slated to feature six teams: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and a sixth team to be decided through a qualifying event.
In related news, the Women’s Asia Cup scheduled for 2026 will adopt the T20 format, as confirmed by a recent Asian Cricket Council press release through an Invitation for Expressions of Interest (IEOI) document released on Saturday. The document outlines details including host information, venues, and dates for the 2025 Asia Cup edition.
India, with eight previous victories, remains a dominant force in the Asia Cup. In the 2023 final against Sri Lanka, India asserted their supremacy by bowling out their opponents for a mere 50 runs. Mohammed Siraj’s outstanding figures of 6/21 in that final mark his best performance in ODI cricket to date, supported by contributions from Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya with one and three wickets respectively.
India efficiently chased down the modest target of 51 runs, securing a convincing 10-run victory in the process. Openers Shubman Gill (27*) and Ishan Kishan (23*) swiftly reached the target in just 6.1 overs, underlining India’s dominance in clinching their eighth Asia Cup title across 16 editions.
Turning to the Women’s Asia Cup, Sri Lanka celebrated their maiden title triumph by defeating India in the final held on Sunday. Sri Lankan bowlers initially restricted India to 165/6, setting the stage for their captain’s stellar batting performance. She notched up 61 runs from 43 deliveries, leading her team’s charge.
Harshitha Samarawickrama’s unbeaten 69, supported by Kavisha Dilhari’s brisk 30 off 16 balls, proved crucial in Sri Lanka’s historic victory in the Women’s Asia Cup final.
Harshitha was awarded the Man of the Match accolade, while Chamari was named the Player of the Series for her outstanding tournament performance. Chamari amassed 304 runs in five matches at an impressive average of 101.33 and a striking strike rate of nearly 150. Her innings featured 36 boundaries and 15 sixes, cementing her pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s successful campaign.
