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Asia Cup 2027 in Bangladesh: ODI Schedule, Teams & Venues

Rahul Sharma 2 May 2026 Updated 2 May 2026 ~10 min read ~1,957 words
Asia Cup 2027 in Bangladesh: ODI format, six teams and venues

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The Asia Cup returns to Bangladesh in August-September 2027 — and this time, it returns in ODI format. After the 2025 T20 edition (which sat in the build-up to a T20 World Cup) and the 2026 hybrid-format Asia Cup, the 2027 edition reverts to fifty-over cricket as the direct lead-in to the ODI World Cup 2027 in October-November. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has confirmed Bangladesh as the host. Six teams are expected to participate. The political subtext — particularly around the India-Pakistan fixture in the immediate aftermath of any 2026 T20 World Cup boycott fallout — is the storyline that will dominate pre-tournament coverage.

This hub covers Asia Cup 2027 fundamentals: format, teams, likely venues, the India-Pakistan question, and how this slots into the wider ODI World Cup 2027 preparation.

Tournament at a glance

  • Edition: Asia Cup 2027
  • Window: August-September 2027 (exact dates TBC by ACC)
  • Host: Bangladesh (Bangladesh Cricket Board on behalf of ACC)
  • Format: ODI (50 overs)
  • Teams: 6 (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan + 1 qualifier — Hong Kong or UAE)
  • Likely venues: Mirpur (Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium), Chattogram (Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium), Sylhet (Sylhet International Cricket Stadium)
  • Lead-in to: ODI World Cup 2027 (October-November 2027, joint hosts)
  • Defending champions (T20 2025): TBC retained label vs handed back format
  • Total matches: Approximately 13 (round-robin group + Super 4 + Final)

The 2027 Asia Cup is the first ACC ODI Asia Cup since 2023 (which was hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka under the hybrid model). It is also the most strategically significant ODI tournament of the entire 2025-27 World Cup cycle, because it sits roughly 4-6 weeks before the World Cup itself.

Why Bangladesh hosts

Bangladesh has been confirmed as host by the ACC, marking the country's first standalone Asia Cup hosting since 2014. Three reasons for the choice:

  1. Calendar slot: Bangladesh has a clean September window with no major international cricket scheduled.
  2. Infrastructure: Mirpur, Chattogram and Sylhet have all hosted ODI events at international standard within the last 5 years.
  3. Geographic neutrality (sort of): Bangladesh is a politically navigable host for the India-Pakistan fixture, in a way that direct India hosting or Pakistan hosting are not.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board has historically been a competent tournament organiser. The ACC knows this. And the August-September window typically coincides with the post-monsoon transition — playable cricket weather, with humidity reducing through September.

Likely venues

VenueCityCapacityNotes
Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket StadiumMirpur (Dhaka)~25,000Subcontinent classic, slow turner.
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury StadiumChattogram (Chittagong)~22,000Coastal venue, slightly more pace assistance.
Sylhet International Cricket StadiumSylhet~18,000Newest of the three. Hilly setting.

Mirpur will host the marquee fixtures, including the final and the high-revenue India-Pakistan match. Chattogram and Sylhet will share the league phase with Mirpur. The final allocation of fixtures across the three venues will be announced by the ACC closer to the tournament.

The six teams

Permanent five

  • India: Defending ACC superpower. Likely to enter as favourites, with the senior squad recovering from a heavy 2026-27 international cycle.
  • Pakistan: Always a contender. Spin-friendly Bangladesh conditions suit their attack.
  • Sri Lanka: 2022 Asia Cup champions. Strong subcontinent ODI side.
  • Bangladesh: Host advantage. Building around a young Najmul Hossain Shanto-led core.
  • Afghanistan: Spin trio of Rashid Khan (subject to fitness), Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Noor Ahmad. ODI-format strength.

Sixth slot: qualifier

The sixth slot will go to the winner of the ACC Asia Cup Qualifier 2027, which is typically contested between Hong Kong, UAE, Nepal and Oman in the months leading into the tournament. UAE and Hong Kong have been the most consistent sixth-team contenders in recent ACC events.

Format

The Asia Cup 2027 is expected to follow the standard 6-team ACC ODI format:

  1. Two groups of 3: Each team plays the other two in its group once.
  2. Super 4 stage: Top 2 from each group advance, then play a round-robin (each team plays the other three once).
  3. Final: Top 2 from Super 4.

That gives 13 total matches including the final. Each team plays a minimum of two games (group stage) and a maximum of seven (advancing to the final). The marquee India-Pakistan fixture is typically scheduled twice — once in the group stage, then potentially again in the Super 4.

For format mechanics on the wider ACC framework, see our explainer on Asia Cup 2026 cricket format, teams and venue.

The India-Pakistan ODI fixture sensitivity

This is the storyline that will dominate Asia Cup 2027 pre-coverage. After the 2025 ACC events (where India-Pakistan fixtures were politically sensitive but played as scheduled), and any 2026 T20 World Cup boycott fallout (pending — the situation as of May 2026 is that India-Pakistan T20Is are subject to ICC event scheduling only), an Asia Cup ODI fixture in Bangladesh will need careful diplomatic handling.

The likely scenarios:

  1. Both teams travel to Bangladesh, fixture goes ahead as scheduled. The most likely outcome — Bangladesh as a neutral host de-risks the political question.
  2. One side withdraws or refuses to travel. Lower likelihood but not zero. Would require the ACC to redraw the format on short notice.
  3. Hybrid arrangement. The fixture is played at a neutral venue outside Bangladesh. Lower likelihood given Bangladesh's explicit host status.

The most constructive working assumption is Scenario 1: India-Pakistan ODI in Mirpur, almost certainly the most-watched cricket match of the 2027 calendar before the ODI World Cup itself.

Pre-ODI World Cup 2027 preparation

The Asia Cup 2027 sits in a critical window: roughly 4-6 weeks before the ICC ODI World Cup 2027 (October-November 2027, joint-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia).

For India specifically, this means:

  • Final ODI XI experiments: Asia Cup is the last competitive tournament before the World Cup. Selection conundrums must be resolved here.
  • Veteran management: Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli (if still in the ODI squad in 2027) will need careful workload calibration through Asia Cup.
  • Bowling combination test: Spin-friendly Mirpur conditions are different from the bouncier South African World Cup pitches. India needs to get the balance right.
  • Form indicators: Asia Cup form is the single biggest pre-World Cup form barometer.

For Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the calculations are similar. For Afghanistan, the Asia Cup is a credibility-building exercise heading into the World Cup proper.

Squad watch (provisional)

Full squad announcements typically come 2-3 weeks before the tournament. As of May 2026, the following framework can be expected:

India

A senior-led 15-player squad. The captaincy question (Rohit's ODI status, Hardik Pandya's readiness, Shubman Gill's emergence as a senior figure) will shape the announcement.

Pakistan

Likely a Babar Azam / Mohammad Rizwan / Shaheen Afridi-led core, with younger fast bowlers tested in the run-in.

Sri Lanka

Built around Charith Asalanka and Wanindu Hasaranga, with the spin attack being the main asset for Bangladesh conditions.

Bangladesh

Host nation, building around Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Litton Das and Mustafizur Rahman.

Afghanistan

Hashmatullah Shahidi-led squad. Spin trio (Rashid, Mujeeb, Noor) is the headline attack.

Qualifier squad

To be confirmed once the qualifier event concludes.

How to watch in India

The Asia Cup is a Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar broadcast in India, consistent with all major ACC events. The exact rights deal is held until 2027 by the existing Star-ACC partnership.

  • TV (India): Star Sports network (multiple language commentary feeds)
  • Digital (India): Disney+ Hotstar (Premium subscription required for most content)
  • Bangladesh: Bangladesh Television (BTV), GTV, Toffee
  • Pakistan: PTV Sports, A Sports
  • Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation
  • Afghanistan: ATN
  • United Kingdom: Sky Sports
  • Australia: Fox Cricket / Kayo Sports
  • United States: Willow TV / Cricbuzz Live

The Bangladesh time zone is +30 minutes from IST, which means most matches will start at the same effective primetime window for both Indian and Bangladeshi viewers.

What to expect from conditions

Bangladesh in August-September:

  • Dhaka (Mirpur): Late monsoon, occasional rain interruptions. Slow, low pitch. Spin assistance from over 20.
  • Chattogram: Coastal humidity. Slightly more pace and bounce. Sea breeze a real factor in evening matches.
  • Sylhet: Coolest of the three. Newer pitch, behaviour still being established at the international level.

ODI batting templates: Subcontinent ODIs in these conditions typically see par-scores of 260-290. Higher totals possible at Chattogram. Rain interruptions and Duckworth-Lewis-Stern adjustments are a real possibility through August.

Why Asia Cup 2027 matters

Three reasons this edition is the most strategically significant in years:

  1. ODI format return: First standalone ODI Asia Cup since 2023.
  2. ODI World Cup lead-in: The single most important tournament before the 2027 World Cup.
  3. India-Pakistan fixture sensitivity: A geopolitical narrative that draws in Indian viewers across all demographics.

For Indian fans, this is the September-2027 must-watch — your one direct read on India's ODI World Cup readiness before the tournament itself.

For more cricket previews, see our domestic cricket category.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the Asia Cup 2027 take place? The Asia Cup 2027 is scheduled for August-September 2027. The exact dates will be confirmed by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) closer to the tournament. The host is Bangladesh, with matches expected at Mirpur (Dhaka), Chattogram and Sylhet.

What format is the Asia Cup 2027? The 2027 edition reverts to ODI (50-over) format, after the 2025 T20 edition. This positions the tournament as a direct lead-in to the ICC ODI World Cup 2027 in October-November.

How many teams are in the Asia Cup 2027? Six teams: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and one qualifier (Hong Kong or UAE). The format is two groups of 3, then a Super 4 stage, then a final.

Will India and Pakistan play in the Asia Cup 2027? The fixture is expected to go ahead as scheduled, with Bangladesh as a neutral-host de-risking the political sensitivity. Both teams are confirmed participants. The India-Pakistan match (or matches, if both reach the Super 4) will be the most-watched fixtures of the tournament.

Where can I watch the Asia Cup 2027 in India? The Asia Cup 2027 will be broadcast on the Star Sports network in India for TV and streamed live on Disney+ Hotstar (Premium subscription required for most content).

The Asia Cup 2027 in Bangladesh is sixteen months away. The format is back to ODI, the venue is set, and the political backdrop will dominate pre-tournament coverage. Bookmark this hub for fixture updates and squad announcements through 2027.

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Rahul Sharma

Expert in: Domestic Cricket

Rahul Sharma has played district-level cricket in Mumbai for 8 years and has personally tested more than 50 bats, pads, gloves, and helmets across different price ranges. He joined CricJosh to help Indian club cricketers make smarter equipment choices without overpaying. His reviews are based on real match and net session use, not sponsored samples.

View all articles →@cricjoshdotin

Why trust this review: Rahul has used every product in this review across multiple match and net sessions before writing a word. He buys equipment at retail price and accepts no free samples.

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