The 2025 Asia Cup, a major Asian cricketing event, is facing serious uncertainty after the latest strain in relations between India and Pakistan. The tournament, scheduled for September, is supposed to be hosted by Pakistan, but tensions may derail those plans.
A senior official of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) told Reuters on Tuesday that the board has not yet discussed India’s participation. “We’ve been tied up with the IPL and are preparing for India’s tour of England. The Asia Cup hasn’t been a part of our current agenda,” the official said. He also refrained from confirming whether India would play in the tournament at all.
On the other hand, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) offered no firm answer regarding participation either. In a guarded statement to Reuters, the PCB said, “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” The lack of clarity from both sides has led to growing speculation that the tournament may be postponed, moved, or even cancelled.
Mohsin Naqvi, the President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and also the PCB chief, has so far remained silent on the issue. Adding to the uncertainty, the ACC on Monday postponed the women’s Emerging Asia Cup, originally set to begin this week in Sri Lanka, due to rising health concerns from the chikungunya virus and poor weather.
Tensions are rooted in a broader political and sporting impasse between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Bilateral cricket ties have been frozen since 2013, and India has consistently refused to tour Pakistan, citing security concerns. Most recently, during the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, India played all their matches in Dubai under a special arrangement approved by the ICC. Similarly, for the upcoming Women’s World Cup, India will host the tournament, while Pakistan’s matches will be staged in Sri Lanka.
India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir, known for his strong nationalist stance, also opposed playing against Pakistan, even at neutral venues. However, he added last month that he would comply with whatever the BCCI decides. With just months to go and no formal commitments made, the Asia Cup’s future hangs by a thread.