The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has dismissed rumors that it “asked” the International Cricket Council (ICC) to place India and Pakistan in separate groups for future international tournaments.
The claims surfaced after the April 22 Pahalgam attack, but BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla called them “baseless.” He said decisions about Pakistan matches depend on the Indian government, and no request was made to the ICC.
India-Pakistan cricket ties remain tense, but group formats won’t change soon. The next major ICC event, the Women’s ODI World Cup, is set for September-October 2025 in India. Pakistan is among the eight teams, and the round-robin format means all teams face each other, making group splits irrelevant.
Pakistan’s matches will likely be at a neutral venue, with the BCCI still finalizing details.
Before that, the men’s Asia Cup, hosted by India in September 2025, will take place in a neutral country—possibly the UAE or Sri Lanka—due to ongoing sensitivities. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has locked in a $170 million media deal for four Asia Cups, banking on at least two India-Pakistan games per edition to drive viewership, with a third possible in the final. The 2025 tournament is expected to rake in $38 million.
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