Asia Cup

The Asia Cup is the continental championship run by the Asian Cricket Council, best known for India-Pakistan meetings that are otherwise rare. Live scores appear here during the tournament.

Roughly every two years, with recent editions played in August and September; the format matches the next ICC world event.

Format

Since 2016 the tournament has switched between the ODI and T20 formats to mirror whichever ICC world event comes next, so editions before a T20 World Cup are played as T20s. The usual structure is two groups, a Super Four stage in which the top two from each group play each other once, and a final between the top two in the Super Four. The five Full Members of the ACC (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan) are joined by qualifiers from the region's Associate nations.

History

The first Asia Cup was played in Sharjah in 1984 with three teams. India have won the most titles, with Sri Lanka second; Pakistan have won it twice. The 2023 edition was staged across Pakistan and Sri Lanka under a hybrid model, and the 2025 edition was played as a T20 competition in the United Arab Emirates, where India beat Pakistan in the final for their ninth title.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Asia Cup played in ODI or T20 format?

It alternates. The ACC picks the format of the next ICC world event, so an edition before a T20 World Cup is played as T20s and one before a 50-over World Cup as ODIs.

Facts on this page were last checked on 24 October 2026. If something is out of date, tell us.