Recent media reports indicating that India might skip both the Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup and the Men’s Asia Cup 2025 have been denied by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). In a statement issued on Monday, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia clarified that no such decision has been made and rejected the claims as unfounded.
Media sources since this morning have stated that the BCCI has chosen not to compete in the Asia Cup and Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup, which are both run by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). “These rumours are completely unfounded,” Saikia told ANI.
He further emphasised that the BCCI had not even discussed the matter internally, nor had it communicated any such decision to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Saikia also reaffirmed that the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the next cricket series against England for both the men’s and women’s teams continue to be the BCCI’s top priorities.
This statement from the BCCI comes in response to a report by The Indian Express, which claimed that the Indian cricket body had informed the ACC of its intention to withdraw from the tournaments. The article cited political reasons, particularly the leadership of the ACC under Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister and Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The report suggested that one of the main reasons for India’s supposed withdrawal was the conflict of interest arising from Naqvi’s dual role in the Pakistani government and cricket administration. “The Indian team cannot participate in a tournament organised by someone who also holds a significant political office in Pakistan,” according to an alleged BCCI source. We are in ongoing communication with the Indian government on this issue.”
Despite these reports, the BCCI has reiterated that no such steps have been taken, and the focus remains on India’s current cricketing engagements. Sri Lanka will host the Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup the following month, while India will host the Men’s Asia Cup in September 2025.
As of now, the BCCI has not made any official statement regarding its participation in either tournament.