The future of the Men’s Asia Cup 2025 hangs in the balance as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly pulled the Indian team out of the tournament, citing heightened political tensions between India and Pakistan. According to a report by The Indian Express, the BCCI has communicated its decision to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), currently headed by Pakistan’s sports minister Mohsin Naqvi.
The move comes in the wake of recent military actions by India in response to a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which claimed 26 civilian lives. India carried out strikes on terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and parts of Pakistan, escalating regional tensions.
In addition to the Men’s Asia Cup, India will also not send a team to the Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup, scheduled for June in Sri Lanka. A senior BCCI official, quoted in the report, stated:
“The Indian team can’t participate in a tournament run by an organization currently chaired by a Pakistani minister. That’s the sentiment of the nation. We’ve informed the ACC of our withdrawal from both events and are in close contact with the Indian government regarding future decisions.”
This wouldn’t be the first time geopolitics has disrupted the Asia Cup. The 2023 edition, hosted by Pakistan, was conducted under a Hybrid Model after BCCI refused to send its players across the border. All Indian fixtures, including the final, were played in Sri Lanka. A similar model was used for the ICC Champions Trophy, with India playing its matches in Dubai despite Pakistan being the official host.
Asia Cup 2025 in Jeopardy
The upcoming Asia Cup, originally set to be hosted by India in the T20 format ahead of the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup, may now face cancellation or a major reshuffle. India’s withdrawal could deal a major blow to the event’s finances, with Indian sponsors forming the bulk of the tournament’s revenue stream.
