The UAE is all set to host the T20 Asia Cup in September after organisers announced the schedule for the tournament, ending speculation on the fate of the event following tensions between India and Pakistan.
The subcontinent neighbours had been locked in a diplomatic standoff since an intense four-day conflict earlier in the year.
A quick ceasefire was announced between the countries but India announced it remained on high alert. India also announced the suspension of most bilateral ties, leading to concerns over the Asia Cup.
The South Asian rivals have not played any bilateral series since 2012 and only play each other in international tournaments on neutral grounds as part of a compromise deal.
However, even that seemed unlikely this time, until an agreement was reached recently, clearing the path for India's participation in the Asia Cup.
Late on Saturday, Asian Cricket Council and Pakistan cricket chief Mohsin Naqvi announced the dates for the tournament that will take place in the UAE from September 9 to 28. The venues for the matches will be announced at a later date.
“I am delighted to confirm the dates for the ACC Men's Asia Cup 2025 in UAE,” Naqvi posted on platform X.
“The prestigious tournament will take place from September 9 to 28.”
India and Pakistan are in Group A with Oman and hosts UAE. Group B comprises of Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Hong Kong.
The top two from each group will qualify for the Super 4 stage where all four teams will play against each other. The top two teams will then go through to the final.
Pakistan and India are favourites to qualify from Group A. The tournament could potentially see three matches between the rivals, if they qualify for the final.
The five full members of the ACC – Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka – earned automatic qualification to the tournament.
They were joined by Hong Kong, Oman and the UAE who secured their spots by finishing in the top three of the ACC men's Premier Cup.
The Asia Cup is being seen as preparation for the T20 World Cup early next year, which is set to take place in India and Sri Lanka.
The Asia Cup tournament is held in ODI and T20 formats.
India are the defending champions, having beaten Sri Lanka in the final of the previous edition in 2023. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, won the Asia Cup when it was last played in the T20 format in 2022 after they beat Pakistan in the final.
The UAE, meanwhile, will be confident of putting up a good show. They are on a roll in the T20 format, having recently defeated a strong Bangladesh team in Sharjah.
They are currently competing in the Pearls of Africa T20 Cup in Uganda.
The UAE, captained by Muhammad Waseem, have won four out of five matches in the tournament so far. In their latest clash, the UAE beat Nigeria by 53 runs, dismissing their opponents for 88 after posting 141-5.
T20 Asia Cup 2025 fixtures
September 9: Afghanistan v Hong Kong
September 10: India v UAE
September 11: Bangladesh v Hong Kong
September 12: Pakistan v Oman
September 13: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka
September 14: India v Pakistan
September 15: UAE v Oman
September 15: Sri Lanka v Hong Kong
September 16: Bangladesh v Afghanistan
September 17: Pakistan v UAE
September 18: Sri Lanka v Afghanistan
September 19: India v Oman
September 20-26: Super 4
September 28: Final
The team
Photographer: Mateusz Stefanowski at Art Factory
Videographer: Jear Valasquez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Model: Randa at Art Factory Videographer’s assistant: Zanong Magat
Photographer’s assistant: Sophia Shlykova
With thanks to Jubail Mangrove Park, Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Persuasion
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECarrie%20Cracknell%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDakota%20Johnson%2C%20Cosmo%20Jarvis%2C%20Richard%20E%20Grant%2C%20Henry%20Golding%20and%20Nikki%20Amuka-Bird%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2019 BMW X4
Price, base / as tested: Dh276,675 / Dh346,800
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 354hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,550rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.0L / 100km
Walls
Louis Tomlinson
3 out of 5 stars
(Syco Music/Arista Records)
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
SQUADS
South Africa:
JP Duminy (capt), Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock (wkt), AB de Villiers, Robbie Frylinck, Beuran Hendricks, David Miller, Mangaliso Mosehle (wkt), Dane Paterson, Aaron Phangiso, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Tabraiz Shamsi
Bangladesh
Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Imrul Kayes, Liton Das (wkt), Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim (wkt), Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Shafiul Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed
Fixtures
Oct 26: Bloemfontein
Oct 29: Potchefstroom
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
