Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided that India will not play or host the Asia Cup 2025 amidst the growing tensions with Pakistan, sources told India Today, citing the escalating geopolitical and military tensions with Pakistan. India and Sri Lanka were supposed to host the tournament this year. According to sources, the Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup, scheduled for next month in Sri Lanka, has been cancelled amidst the ongoing standoff between India and Pakistan.
As for the Men’s Asia Cup in September, a final decision will be made at the upcoming ACC (Asian Cricket Council) meeting, which is headed by Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi. However, sources suggest that India has already informed the ACC that it will neither play in nor host the tournament. Without India’s participation, the event is likely to be cancelled or scrapped altogether.
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The move signals a broader shift in India’s approach to cricketing ties with Pakistan, as the BCCI reportedly intends to refrain from participating in all ACC-hosted events for the time being. This includes India’s women’s team skipping the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka this June, as well as the men’s side pulling out of the 2025 edition of the Asia Cup, which India was originally set to host.
India’s withdrawal has put the future of this year’s Asia Cup in serious doubt. The tournament, scheduled to be played in a T20 format as preparation for the 2026 T20 World Cup, was set to feature five nations — India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Without India, however, the commercial and competitive value of the tournament is significantly diminished.
A large chunk of the tournament’s financial backing comes from Indian sponsors and broadcasters. Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) acquired the media rights to Asia Cup events in 2024 for a reported USD 170 million over eight years. The cancellation or postponement of this year’s edition of the tournament could result in big problems for its future and not only a simple renegotiation of that deal.
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In previous years, similar concerns led to hybrid models being adopted for multilateral tournaments. The 2023 Asia Cup was technically hosted by Pakistan, but India’s matches — including the final — were played entirely in Sri Lanka. The same model was adopted earlier this year during the ICC Champions Trophy, with India playing their fixtures in Dubai instead of travelling to Pakistan.
Sunday’s announcement further solidifcies India’s continuing reluctance to engage in bilateral series or any form of cricket relations with Pakistan amidst diplomatic strain. With the Men’s Asia Cup now facing an uncertain future, stakeholders across the region — particularly the ACC and broadcasters — are left scrambling to reassess their options.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
