The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has apparently agreed to pull out of both the Women's Emerging Teams Asia Cup in June and the Men's Asia Cup in September this year, in view of the ongoing diplomatic and political rift with Pakistan.
This move throws a grave shadow of doubt over the Men's Asia Cup, which is to be hosted by India in the T20 format. The event was to have India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, UAE, Hong Kong, and Oman as participating teams.
The BCCI has officially informed the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) of its withdrawal, The Indian Express reports. The ACC is currently headed by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi, who is also Pakistan's Interior Minister.
Defending Men's Asia Cup champion India claimed the 2023 title after beating Sri Lanka in the final in Colombo. That too was clouded by Indo-Pak tensions, forcing a hybrid hosting setup after India declined to hold games in Pakistan. All Indian matches were eventually moved to Sri Lanka.
The same model was followed for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, which was initially allocated to Pakistan alone. In response to India's insistence, there was a hybrid model in which all Indian matches were shifted to Dubai, where India won the trophy on March 9 after Pakistan was eliminated in the league stage.
India’s potential absence from this year’s Asia Cup could significantly affect the tournament’s commercial value. Broadcaster Sony Sports Network, which signed a multi-year deal in November 2023 to air all ACC events through 2031, is expected to be particularly impacted by the loss of India’s participation — historically the tournament’s biggest draw for viewership and advertising revenue.
This comes against the backdrop of increased geopolitical tension between India and Pakistan, with cricket again at the center of it.
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