“India is playing Pakistan, right? When are they meeting?”

The immigration officer at Delhi airport posed a quick query on finding out the purpose of travel to the United Arab Emirates. Geopolitical realities, in the aftermath of a four-day military conflict between the neighbours in May that followed a terror attack in Pahalgam, may have cast doubts on the Asia Cup in the months leading up, but now that the 17th edition of the continental event is getting underway on Tuesday (September 9, 2025), there can be no disputing the fixture that will occupy centrestage over the next three weeks.

As has been the case in multi-nation tournaments for the past decade, it is not by coincidence that India — the official host — and Pakistan have been drawn together in Group A alongside United Arab Emirates and debutant Oman. It means that Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will have to slug it out to be among the two teams from Group B, also comprising Hong Kong, that advance to the next stage. If things go according to plan, India will face Pakistan once more in the Super Four phase, with a third meeting possible provided both teams enter the summit clash on September 28.

Beyond the big draw that India versus Pakistan continues to be in the eyes of the organisers even though recent contests suggest otherwise, the Asia Cup’s survival has been helped by its flexibility since 2016 in switching between the 50-over and T20 versions based on the demands of the cricketing calendar.

The previous event in 2023, won by India, was held in the 50-over format ahead of the ODI World Cup that year. This edition, featuring eight sides for the first time in the competition’s four-decade existence, will be a T20 affair to facilitate preparations for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Afghanistan will take on Hong Kong in the opener at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

The Men in Blue, who won the T20 World Cup last year, will kick off their campaign against UAE in Dubai on Wednesday. After a prolonged break from national duty since the end of the Test series against England on August 4, India’s players will be eager to get back into competitive mode at a venue where they have fond memories of winning the ICC Champions Trophy just six months ago. That there is intense competition for places is distinctly clear from the absence of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer in the 15-member contingent.

Based on recent evidence, there is no obvious challenger to India’s might. Sri Lanka was skittled out for 80 in a five-wicket defeat to Zimbabwe on September 6 while Afghanistan and Pakistan blew hot and cold in the just-concluded tri-series that the latter won. Bangladesh has interestingly got the better of both Pakistan and Sri Lanka of late, but it has shown a worrying trend of faltering in crunch situations against India.

If there is a ray of hope for these teams, it is that pre-tournament expectations don’t always play out at the Asia Cup. After all, there has never been an India-Pakistan final in all these years.

Seasoned match referees Richie Richardson and Andy Pycroft will head the panel of officials for the Asia Cup T20 beginning on Tuesday (September 9, 2025).

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) on Monday (September 8, 2025) confirmed the appointments of match officials for the group stage of the tournament.

The umpiring panel includes India’s Virender Sharma and Rohan Pandit, along with the Sri Lankan duo Raveendra Wimalasiri and Ruchira Palliyaguruge.

Other umpires named for the group stage include Afghanistan’s Ahmad Pakteen and Izatullah Safi, Pakistan’s Asif Yaqoob and Faisal Afridi, and Bangladesh’s Gazi Sohel and Masudur Rahman.

Pycroft will serve as the match referee for the high-profile India-Pakistan clash scheduled for September 14 in Dubai.

Palliyaguruge and Rahman will be the on-field umpires for the marquee encounter.