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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly planning to withdraw from the 2025 Asia Cup due to the escalating diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan following recent geopolitical events, including the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s military response through Operation Sindoor.
Cricket, which has often been seen as a bridge in India-Pakistan relations, has once again been dented by political tensions. According to reports by The Indian Express, the BCCI has informed the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) of its intention to pull out from the upcoming Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup and has placed its participation in the Men’s Asia Cup on hold.
Notably, the ACC is currently headed by Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Sources within the BCCI have cited national sentiment and security concerns as the main reasons for stepping back from the tournament.
“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 is on hold. We are in constant touch with the Indian government,” said a BCCI source.
Asia Cup 2025 likely to be played in UAE
Meanwhile, the 2025 edition of the Asia Cup was initially slated to be hosted by India in a T20 format as a preparatory platform for the succeeding ICC T20 World Cup. However, it was later shifted to a neutral venue, likely the UAE, to maintain peace between the two countries. It is expected to follow a similar hybrid model used in the 2023 Asia Cup when India refused to travel to Pakistan and played all their matches in Sri Lanka instead.
India’s withdrawal will create significant challenges for the ACC as an Asia Cup without India not only weakens the competition but also affects its commercial part. The Men in Blue are the biggest market for cricket viewership, and broadcasters such as Sony Pictures Networks India had secured rights for the Asia Cup through 2032 for a whopping USD 170 million. Moreover, India’s absence may encourage other nations to reconsider their participation, further isolating Pakistan cricket at a regional level.
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