Overview

• The ACC has confirmed the tournament will run from September 9 to 28 with 19 matches staged across Dubai (11) and Abu Dhabi (8) in a group stage, Super Four round-robin, and final.
• India, after weeks of board silence, officially agreed to compete under a hybrid model that mandates all India-Pakistan fixtures at third-party venues.
• India’s campaign opens against the UAE on September 10 in Dubai and features the marquee India-Pakistan group clash on September 14 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
• Eight teams are split into Group A (India, Pakistan, UAE, Oman) and Group B (Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Hong Kong), with the top two sides from each group advancing to the Super Four.
• Broadcasters and stakeholders have drawn on India’s 1986 Asia Cup withdrawal over Sri Lanka’s civil war to highlight the security and diplomatic considerations shaping this year’s neutral-venue arrangement.