India-Pakistan Asia Cup Clash To Go As Planned? UAE Official Breaks Silence

India and Pakistan have been at loggerheads ever since the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam in April, in which 26 people, mostly civilians, were killed. As a result, the cricketing relations between the two countries have also nose-dived. Recently, two World Championship of Legends (WCL) fixtures between the two countries were called off as the India Champions players decided not to play against their Pakistan counterparts. Similarly, the fate of the upcoming Asia Cup fixture between India and Pakistan also hangs in the balance. India and Pakistan are scheduled to face off in Dubai on September 14, with a possibility of the teams facing off in the Super 4s stage and the final.

With just over a month remaining for the start of the tournament, Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) Chief Operating Officer Subhan Ahmed has suggested that it is highly unlikely that the two teams would avoid playing each other in the Asia Cup.

"While I cannot give a formal guarantee, there is no risk of Pakistan and India not playing. The Asia Cup cannot be compared to private tournaments like the World Championship of Legends, where India refused to play against Pakistan in both the league stage and semi-final," Subhan Ahmed told the reporters recently.

Dubai and Abu Dhabi have been confirmed as official host cities for 2025 Men's T20 Asia Cup, set to happen from September 9 to 28. Dubai will host 11 games, including the final, while Abu Dhabi will host eight matches. 

India will play its Group A games against 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.

(With IANS Inputs)

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