The BCCI adopts the daring move to the insulation of Pakistan, ready to withdraw from the Asian Cup: report

Recent hostilities between India and Pakistan in border areas should have a long and lasting impact on cricket relations between the two countries. While India and Pakistan were already against playing bilateral cricket, aggravated political relations between the two nations also compromised multi-team events between the two teams. With a Pakistani minister leading the Asian Cricket Council – the organization governing cricket affairs on the continent – the Cricket Control Council in India (BCCI) plans to withdraw from this year’s Asian Cup, with the aim of isolating the neighboring country further.

The Asian 2025 Cup should be held in India, but with a match against Pakistan, everything except out of the photo, the competition does not have much meaning from a financial point of view. While countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan also obtain income from the tournament, the largest attraction remains without interruption a confrontation India vs Pakistan.

However, given the current political climate, the BCCI does not seem to want to continue with the Asian Cup plan. Such a scenario would harm the finances of the Asian organization, led by Mohin Naqvi, who is also president of Pakistan Cricket Board.

Naqvi assumed the role after Jay Shah, the former BCCI secretary, canceled the role after being appointed president of the International Cricket Council.

“The Indian team cannot play in an ACC tournament, whose chief is a Pakistani minister. This is the feeling of the nation. We have verbally communicated to ACC about our withdrawal from the next team of emerging teams in Asia, and our future participation in its source from BCCI is also pending.

With most sponsors of the Asian Cup from India, the current anti-Pakistanan feeling in the country makes it completely difficult for the BCCI to continue the tournament plans.

In 2024, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) bought media rights for the Asian Cup for costs of US $ 170 million. However, the agreement should be reworked if the Asian Cup does not occur this year.

The Asian 2023 Cup saw a hybrid model adopt, with part of the tournament taking place in Sri Lanka. India then won the title in Colombo while Pakistan did not even manage to qualify for the final.