ECB reschedules 18 of 19 games to 6:30 PM local time (8:00 PM IST) to avoid extreme UAE heat
Only the UAE vs Oman fixture on September 15 remains a daytime match
Changes aim to ensure better conditions for players and a smoother viewing experience for fans
The Asia Cup 2025 is just around the corner, and while fans are looking forward to the fireworks of clashes like India vs Pakistan, there’s another aspect looming over the tournament, the punishing UAE heat. With temperatures likely to exceed even scorching September limits, the hosts have stepped in to ensure that neither the players nor the game itself become over heated.
The tournament will be taking place in Dubai and Abu Dhabi from September 9 to 28, and will feature eight teams divided into two groups of four. In Group A, India, Pakistan, UAE and Oman, and in Group B, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Hong Kong. Prior to the first ball being bowled, the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) announced a key adjustment with the schedule that will affect almost every match.
Match Timings pushed because of heat
On Saturday, the ECB announced that out of the 19 matches across the tournament, 18 of them will begin with an evening start at 6:30 PM local time (8 PM IST), instead of the original 6:00 PM, in a response to the increasing temperatures experienced in early September in the Gulf, which regularly hit 40°C during the day.
"The start time for 18 out of the 19 DP World Asia Cup 2025 matches has been updated. These matches will now begin at 6:30pm local time (Gulf Standard Time)," the ECB said in a statement on its website.
The exception will be the UAE vs Oman match on September 15 in Abu Dhabi, which will begin at 4:00 PM local time and will be the only day match of the tournament. Everything else, including India's first game against UAE on September 10, and the highly anticipated India vs Pakistan match in Dubai on September 14, will now be under the evening lights.
What Awaits in Asia Cup 2025?
This year’s Asia Cup, being played in the T20 format, so that the teams can prepare for the upcoming T20I World Cup next year. For India, the group stage kicks off against hosts UAE before the marquee clash against Pakistan on September 14.
BCCI have already announced the squad with some key players like Shreyas Iyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal and few others getting ignored. Shubman Gill made a surprising return to the squad and that too as the vice-captain of the team.
