According to reports, India will neither be participating nor hosting the Asia Cup 2025, amid tensions with Pakistan.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly taken a huge step by stating that India will neither be hosting, nor playing the Men's & Women's Asia Cup 2025, amid tensions.
Defending champions India are the hosts for the Men's Asia Cup, to be played in the T20 format, in September while Sri Lanka have been allotted the Women's Emerging Teams Asia Cup. However, considering the current political climate, the BCCI doesn't seem to be keen on continuing with the Asia Cup plan. Such a scenario would hurt the financials of the Asian body, led by Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Naqvi assumed the role after Jay Shah, former secretary of the BCCI, vacated the role after being named the chairman of the International Cricket Council. "The Indian team can't play in a tournament that is organised by the ACC, whose chief is a Pakistani minister. That's the sentiment of the nation. We have verbally communicated to ACC about our withdrawal from the upcoming Women's Emerging Teams Asia Cup, and our future participation in their events too is on hold. We are in constant touch with the Indian government," Indian Express quoted a BCCI source as saying.Pakistan must face total isolation, diplomatically and financially. India-Pakistan matches may be the biggest draws in the Asia Cup, but we cannot, in good conscience, participate in tournaments governed by the Asian Cricket Council while it’s chaired by a Pakistani minister.
With most of the sponsors for the Asia Cup coming from India, the current anti-Pakistan sentiment in the country makes it quite tricky for the BCCI to go ahead with the tournament's plans.
In 2024, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) bought the media rights for the Asia Cup for a fee of 170 million US dollars. However, the deal would need to be reworked if the Asia Cup doesn't happen this year.
The 2023 Asia Cup saw a hybrid model being adopted, with a part of the tournament taking place in Sri Lanka. India went on to clinch the title in Colombo while Pakistan failed to even qualify for the final.
The BCCI has reportedly taken a tough stance in a bid to isolate Pakistan after the recent hostilities on the border.
Pakistan must face total isolation, diplomatically and financially. India-Pakistan matches may be the biggest draws in the Asia Cup, but we cannot, in good conscience, participate in tournaments governed by the Asian Cricket Council while it’s chaired by a Pakistani minister says netizens.…
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has firmly dismissed reports suggesting that it has pulled out of the Asia Cup. In a statement to ANI, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia clarified that the board has not made any decision regarding upcoming Asian tournaments, nor has it communicated any intention to withdraw from the event to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC)
The Asia Cup matter or any other ACC event issue has not come up for discussion at any level, hence any news or report on that is purely speculative and imaginary. It may be said that BCCI, as and when any discussion on any ACC events takes place and any important decision is reached, same will be announced through media," told BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia to ANI.A media report, quoting sources, said that BCCI won't let Indian teams compete in the two Asian Cricket Council (ACC) events at a time when the cricket body is being headed by a Pakistani and just days back the two neighbouring nations were involved in a military conflict.
Pakistan's interior minister Mohsin Naqvi, who is also PCB Chairman, holds the position of President in the ACC.