The United Arab Emirates is all set to host the Asia Cup 2025. Eventually, the competition will start on 9th September, whereas the final is on 28th September. This is the 17th edition of the Asia Cup. Let us have a look at the Dubai vs Abu Dhabi Pitch Report.
There are a total of two venues where all the matches of the Asia Cup 2025 will be played. One is the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, and the other is the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai. This will be the fifth time that the United Arab Emirates will be the host for the Asia Cup. They were the host in the first edition, which happened in 1984, in which India won. After that, they were the host in the 1995 Asia Cup, which India again won. In 2018, they were again the host, and again India won. Lastly, they were the host in 2022, where Sri Lanka won.
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Dubai vs Abu Dhabi Pitch Report: What to Expect From Asia Cup 2025 Venues
Dubai International Cricket Stadium (Dubai)
The Dubai International Cricket Stadium has a total seating capacity of around 25,000. Basically, the two ends of the stadium are: Emirates Road End and Dubai Sports City End. This ground was also the venue for the final of the 2022 Asia Cup. Apart from the Asia Cup, the stadium has also been the host for the ICC events and the Indian Premier League. This venue will also be the host for the Asia Cup 2025 final.
So far, the ground has hosted 110 T20 matches. 51 times the team batting first has won, whereas 58 times the team chasing has won. One match did not happen due to rain. India has scored the highest score at this venue, which was 212 against Afghanistan in the Super-Four match in the Asia Cup 2022. At the same time, the West Indies have scored the lowest score, which is 55 runs, in the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup.
The pitch at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium favours the pacers more than the spinners. Eventually, batting at this ground can be tricky during the first few overs, but eventually it becomes slightly easier once the match progresses. A total between 135 and 145 is an average 1st innings score at the venue.
Sheikh Zayed Stadium (Abu Dhabi)
This stadium has a slightly lower seating capacity compared to the Dubai stadium. Basically, it has a total seating capacity of around 20,000.
North End and Pavilion End are the two ends of the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. This venue has also hosted a lot of ICC event knock-out games and the Indian Premier League matches.
To date, a total of 91 T20 matches have been played at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium. The team batting second has more matches, 49, compared to the team batting first, 42. Ireland has scored the highest score at this venue, which was 225 against Afghanistan in 2013. At the same time, the lowest score is scored by the USA Women’s team, which is 54 against the Thailand Women’s team.
This ground favours the slightly more at the start compared to the Dubai pitch. It is also a great wicket for the fast bowlers, but at the same time, spinners can find it a bit difficult to bowl. The average first innings score at this venue is almost the same as that at Dubai. It is somewhere between 130 and 140.
Weather conditions
The weather conditions at both venues are not that different. As we know, there is a lot of heat in the United Arab Emirates during the daytime. This is the reason not a lot of cricket happens during June to August. The heat can make it possible for the players to play.
ASIA Cup 2025 Schedule: Stadium Wise
Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai:
| Date (2025) | Time (IST) | Local Time (GST) | Stage | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 10 (Wed) | 8:00 PM | 6:30 PM | Group | India vs UAE |
| Sep 12 (Fri) | 8:00 PM | 6:30 PM | Group | Pakistan vs Oman |
| Sep 14 (Sun) | 8:00 PM | 6:30 PM | Group | India vs Pakistan |
| Sep 15 (Mon) | 8:00 PM | 6:30 PM | Group | Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong |
| Sep 17 (Wed) | 8:00 PM | 6:30 PM | Group | Pakistan vs UAE |
| Sep 20 (Sat) | 8:00 PM | 6:30 PM | Super Four | B1 vs B2 |
| Sep 21 (Sun) | 8:00 PM | 6:30 PM | Super Four | A1 vs A2 |
| Sep 23 (Tue)* | 8:00 PM | 6:30 PM | Super Four | A2 vs B1 (venue disputed – some list Abu Dhabi) |
| Sep 24 (Wed) | 8:00 PM | 6:30 PM | Super Four | A1 vs B2 |
| Sep 25 (Thu) | 8:00 PM | 6:30 PM | Super Four | A2 vs B2 |
| Sep 26 (Fri) | 8:00 PM | 6:30 PM | Super Four | A1 vs B1 |
| Sep 28 (Sun) | 8:00 PM | 6:30 PM | Final | TBC vs TBC |
* Sep 23 match (A2 vs B1) has venue confusion, but most sources say Abu Dhabi.
Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi:
| Date (2025) | Time (IST) | Local Time (GST) | Stage | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 09 (Tue) | 8:00 PM | 6:30 PM | Group | Afghanistan vs Hong Kong |
| Sep 11 (Thu) | 8:00 PM | 6:30 PM | Group | Bangladesh vs Hong Kong |
| Sep 13 (Sat) | 8:00 PM | 6:30 PM | Group | Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka |
| Sep 15 (Mon) | 5:30 PM | 4:00 PM | Group | UAE vs Oman |
| Sep 16 (Tue) | 8:00 PM | 6:30 PM | Group | Bangladesh vs Afghanistan |
| Sep 18 (Thu) | 8:00 PM | 6:30 PM | Group | Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka |
| Sep 19 (Fri) | 8:00 PM | 6:30 PM | Group | India vs Oman |
| Sep 23 (Tue)* | 8:00 PM | 6:30 PM | Super Four | A2 vs B1 (most sources confirm Abu Dhabi) |
