The latest drama unfolding around Asia Cup 2025
The ongoing standoff between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appears to be deepening, casting serious doubt over the future of the Asia Cup 2025. The tournament, scheduled for September and set to be played in the T20 format, now finds itself in jeopardy due to escalating tensions between the two cricketing bodies. The uncertainty surrounding the Asia Cup intensified following the Pahalgam terrorist attacks in April and the subsequent launch of Operation Sindoor. These events have not only strained diplomatic ties but also severely impacted cricketing relations between India and Pakistan.
Asia Cup 2025: More tensions surround the India vs Pakistan agenda
As a result, the tournament's fate has been hanging in the balance for months, with no clear resolution in sight. To address the situation, a crucial meeting of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) was scheduled for July 24. However, controversy erupted over the choice of venue, further complicating efforts to reach a consensus. With time running out and preparations for the tournament stalled, the cricketing community remains anxious. The impasse, if not resolved soon, could lead to the postponement or even cancellation of the 2025 Asia Cup, dealing a significant blow to regional cricketing ties and the sport's fans across Asia.
The upcoming Asian Cricket Council meeting is scheduled to be held in Dhaka, but controversy has already marred the proceedings. According to reports, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has declined to travel to Bangladesh for the meeting and has instead requested a change in venue. This development further complicates the already tense situation surrounding the 2025 Asia Cup, which is currently under a cloud of uncertainty due to rising geopolitical tensions and strained cricketing ties between key Asian nations.
Adding to the complexity is the fact that the current ACC chairman is Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board and is Pakistan’s federal interior minister. His dual role has sparked additional concern, especially from the Indian side, given the sensitive nature of current India-Pakistan relations.
In a related development, India recently postponed a scheduled bilateral white-ball series against Bangladesh that was set to take place in August. This move has raised further questions about India’s willingness to engage in regional cricketing events hosted or facilitated by neighboring countries. As the date of the ACC meeting draws closer, the path forward for the Asia Cup remains uncertain, with diplomatic and administrative hurdles mounting.
The report further reveals that both Sri Lanka Cricket and the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) have thrown their support behind the BCCI’s stance regarding the venue for the upcoming ACC meeting. If this alignment holds, the meeting would fail to meet the legal quorum as outlined in the ACC constitution, which mandates the presence of at least three out of the five full-member Test-playing nations for any official proceedings to be valid.
Additionally, it was reported that ACC Chairman and PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi recently visited Afghanistan in an effort to secure the ACB’s backing to hold the meeting in Dhaka as planned. However, sources indicate that the ACB has assured the BCCI that they will not attend the meeting, effectively aligning with India’s position. This growing divide threatens to derail the ACC's plans and deepens the uncertainty surrounding the 2025 Asia Cup, already mired in political and administrative tension.
According to the report, the BCCI has made it clear that it will withdraw from the 2025 Asia Cup if the Asian Cricket Council meeting proceeds as planned in Dhaka and that is a surely a big cricket update. This firm stance puts it in direct opposition to the Pakistan Cricket Board and ACC Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who continue to push for the meeting to take place in the Bangladeshi capital. The disagreement over the meeting venue has become a key flashpoint, further deepening the divide within the ACC.
Once the venue issue is resolved, attention is expected to shift to the fate of the Asia Cup itself, which remains highly uncertain. The political and public sentiment surrounding India-Pakistan cricketing ties continues to be tense. This was recently evident when a match between India Champions and Pakistan Champions in the World Championship of Legends (WCL 2025) was called off after several Indian players withdrew due to backlash on social media. Although India is officially listed as the host for the 2025 Asia Cup, it is increasingly likely that the tournament will be moved to a neutral venue to avoid complications. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has emerged as the frontrunner to host the event, given its previous experience with similar tournaments.
