India withdraws from Asia Cup cricket tournaments

Dubai: The Indian cricket board has reportedly informed the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) of its decision to withdraw from all Asia Cup tournaments. However, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia issued a strong denial later.

The decision to pull out “until the foreseeable future” has already been communicated to the ACC, with India officially withdrawing from the Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup, scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka next month. While a final call on the Men’s Asia Cup — set for September in India — is yet to be made, the tournament’s future now appears bleak.

The Men’s Asia Cup features India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka. India are the defending champions, having beaten Sri Lanka in the 2023 final.

That edition was also marred by India-Pakistan tensions. Originally slated to be hosted entirely in Pakistan, the tournament adopted a hybrid model after India refused to travel across the border, with all their matches shifted to Sri Lanka.

Without India, the Asia Cup will lose its marquee clash between the two Asian giants — a significant blow to the event’s appeal and commercial value.

Multi-team events involving India and Pakistan have repeatedly run into logistical and political hurdles. The recent eight-team Champions Trophy was held in a hybrid format after the Indian government refused to allow the team to travel to Pakistan.

Following monthlong discussions, the two boards had agreed on a compromise to play all International Cricket Council (ICC) events on neutral venues. This brought an end to the impasse over the Champions Trophy 2025.

“India and Pakistan matches hosted by either country at ICC events during the 2024–2027 rights cycle will be played at a neutral venue,” read an ICC Board statement.

Under that arrangement, the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 was hosted by Pakistan in February–March, but India played all their matches in Dubai, where they remained unbeaten en route to the title.

The same formula will apply to the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 (to be hosted by India) and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka). The PCB has also been awarded hosting rights for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2028, where neutral venue arrangements will similarly apply.

However, the latest directive from the Indian government — cutting all ties with Pakistan — has now cast a shadow even over ICC and ACC events. This effectively ends any immediate prospect of India and Pakistan facing off, even on neutral ground.

The two sides have not played a bilateral series since 2012–13, when Pakistan toured India for a short limited-overs series. Since then, their meetings have been restricted to ICC and ACC tournaments, which too now appear in jeopardy.