India-Pakistan Asia Cup tickets: Organisers warn fans against scam

Dubai: The countdown to the Asia Cup Twenty20 in the UAE has begun, and excitement is building for the possibility of India and Pakistan meeting up to three times during the tournament. But as anticipation rises, so do concerns — both off the field and on.

On Tuesday, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) issued a strong warning to fans after unauthorised ticket sales surfaced online for the high-voltage India-Pakistan clash on September 14 in Dubai.

“Official tickets for the DP World Asia Cup 2025 have not yet been released,” the ACC cautioned on social media. “Any tickets currently on sale are unauthorised, fraudulent, and will not grant entry. A formal announcement on ticket sales will be made soon by the ACC and Emirates Cricket Board.”

The warning comes amid unprecedented demand for seats to one of cricket’s notable rivalries, which could also be repeated in the Super Four stage and potentially the final. Organisers urged fans to wait for official channels to avoid being duped by touts.

India will kick off their campaign in the eight-team continental showpiece against the UAE on September 10, while the marquee clash with Pakistan is scheduled for September 14, with both fixtures to be played in Dubai. Their final group match will be against Oman on September 19 in Abu Dhabi.

After the group stage, the tournament will proceed to the Super 4, where the top two teams from each group qualify. If India finish at the top of Group A, all their Super 4 games will be played in Dubai. A second-place finish would see them play one game in Abu Dhabi and two in Dubai. The Super 4 runs from September 20 to 26, with Dubai hosting the final on September 28.

Meanwhile, the squads have already sparked debate. India opted for continuity, with Rinku Singh and Shivam Dube keeping their places, while Shreyas Iyer and teenage prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi were left out. Pakistan made a bolder call by leaving out former captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, both absent from T20s since December.

“We know what a fine player Babar is,” head coach Mike Hesson explained. “Babar has been asked to improve in certain areas, like taking on spin and in terms of his strike rate, and he is working hard on these things.”

For hosts UAE, coached by Lalchand Rajput, the group stage brings both opportunity and challenge. With India and Pakistan as their first opponents, the team are eyeing at least one upset to underline their progress in the shortest format.

With India, Pakistan and UAE all sharing Group A, the early phase of the Asia Cup promises both spectacle and shocks. But before the action begins, fans have been reminded that their first contest is with online fraud — not the opposition.