Eighteen of the nineteen matches scheduled for the upcoming Asia T20 Cup 2025, including the final, will now start half an hour later than initially planned, in a move aimed at avoiding the extreme heat conditions expected in the United Arab Emirates during September, 24NewsHD TV reported on Saturday.
The revised schedule means that all day-night games in the eight-team tournament will begin at 6:30 pm local time instead of the originally allotted 6 pm local time. Since the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is one hour behind Pakistan Standard Time (PKT), when the matches begin at 6:30 pm local time in the UAE, they will start at 7:30 pm in Pakistan.
Weather forecasters have predicted daytime temperatures in the UAE to soar well into the 40s Celsius, prompting organizers to adjust the timings to ensure safer playing conditions for athletes and a more comfortable experience for spectators.
The only exception to the change is the solitary day fixture between hosts UAE and Oman, set for September 15 at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
The encounter will proceed as planned, beginning at 4:00 p.m. local time (5:00 p.m. PST).
The tournament will open September 9 in Abu Dhabi, with Afghanistan facing Hong Kong in the curtain-raiser of the eight-team competition. Dubai will host 11 games, including the final on September 29, while Abu Dhabi will host eight matches.
India, Pakistan, UAE, and Oman are placed in Group A, while Group B comprises Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Hong Kong. It’s also the first time the Asia Cup, to be held in the T20I format with the preparation of teams for the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup in mind, will feature eight teams.
India will play its Group A games against the UAE and the high-stakes clash against Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on September 10 and 14, respectively, while its clash against Oman is slated to happen at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on September 19.
The top two teams from each group will proceed to the Super Fours stage, with the top two facing each other in the title clash to decide the winner of the 17th edition of the Asia Cup. India are the defending champions of the Asia Cup, having beaten Sri Lanka in the 2023 final held in the 50-over format in Colombo. Sri Lanka had won the Asia Cup in the T20I version after beating Pakistan in the final in 2022.