The Asia Cup returns with the continent’s top sides — India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and a sixth qualifier — fighting for the trophy.
How to watch on TV in India
The Star Sports network has historically held the Asia Cup broadcast rights in India. All India matches, the final, and most marquee fixtures are broadcast on Star Sports 1 (English), Star Sports 1 Hindi, Star Sports Select, and regional language feeds.
How to stream
Disney+ Hotstar and JioCinema have acquired major cricket rights in recent years. Both platforms typically offer free live streaming for cricket — making India one of the largest cricket-watching audiences online in the world.
India’s squad — what to watch for
Team India typically uses the Asia Cup to test squad combinations ahead of the next ICC tournament. Three subplots to follow: the middle order debate, the all-rounder slot (Hardik Pandya’s fitness, emergence of Shivam Dube and Washington Sundar), and the pace attack led by Bumrah, Siraj, and Shami.
Format and qualification path
The Asia Cup follows a group-stage-plus-Super-Four format. India typically plays a minimum of five matches if it reaches the final.
The India-Pakistan factor
Every Asia Cup is dominated by one fixture: India vs Pakistan. With limited bilateral cricket between the two countries for over a decade, multilateral tournaments are the only venue for this matchup. The match remains the most-watched single cricket match in the world.
How to get the best viewing experience
For television, an HD subscription is worth it. For streaming, a wired connection or 5G outperforms most home Wi-Fi during peak match hours. Download Cricbuzz or ESPNcricinfo for ball-by-ball updates.
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