The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has denied reports suggesting that India will pull out of the upcoming Asia Cup. This comes after media claims stated that the BCCI was planning to isolate Pakistan cricket by withdrawing from all Asian Cricket Council (ACC) events.
These reports followed rising political tensions between India and Pakistan, especially after Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, took over as the ACC President. He is also the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Devajit Saikia, BCCI Secretary, denied the reports, labeling them as “baseless,” and clarified that the board hasn’t considered withdrawing from ACC competitions. “Right now, our focus is on the IPL and upcoming series. No such discussions have happened,” Saikia said.
“Since this morning, we have seen news reports claiming the BCCI has decided not to participate in the Asia Cup and the Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup. These reports are completely false. No such discussions have taken place within the BCCI, nor has any communication been made to the ACC,” Saikia told news agencies.
The Asia Cup 2025 is scheduled for September and will feature eight teams: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Oman, and UAE. If India were to withdraw, it would raise serious concerns over the tournament’s future, mainly due to the strong financial impact of losing India’s participation.
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So far, the ACC has not made any official statement regarding the matter. Sources within the council say that preparations for the tournament are continuing as planned.
This is not the first time political issues have affected India-Pakistan cricket. In 2023, India chose not to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, leading to the implementation of a hybrid hosting format. India’s matches were moved to Sri Lanka, while the rest of the tournament was played in Pakistan.
The last bilateral cricket series between India and Pakistan took place in 2013. Their encounters are limited to ICC or ACC tournaments, and always held at neutral venues.
The latest media buzz created confusion among fans and experts alike. Several news outlets suggested that India’s strong stand was part of a broader plan to isolate Pakistan in international cricket. However, no official comment from the Indian government or ICC has supported such a claim.
At present, the BCCI has clearly stated that there are no intentions to withdraw from the Asia Cup. Still, with the political relationship between the two countries often impacting cricket, the final decision could depend on government clearance closer to the tournament. As things stand, India remains a part of the Asia Cup, and any change would likely require a formal announcement by the BCCI or ACC in the coming weeks.
Written by Kinjal Walantra
