The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has become a constant threat to this year’s Asia Cup and has now threatened another boycott of the event if things do not go their way.
According to sources in foreign media, the BCCI has officially confirmed it will boycott the upcoming Asia Cup if the upcoming ACC meeting in Dhaka isn’t shifted to another venue.
According to multiple reports, the BCCI has already informed both the BCB and PCB as well as ACC Chairman Mohsin Naqvi of its decision, citing its displeasure with the choice of venue. The meeting, expected to take place in July 2025, was set to focus primarily on finalizing arrangements for September’s Asia Cup, but India has conveyed it will not obey any outcome of the meeting unless the venue is changed.
Bangladesh and India are currently involved in a political disagreement, which led to India cancelling a tour of Bangladesh recently as well. But BCCI’s attempts to undermine this year’s Asia Cup are not new. This isn’t even the first time BCCI has threatened to boycott the tournament if its demands aren’t met.
While the geopolitics between Pakistan and India are a common theme, this may be the first time an entire Asian cricketing power bloc is affected by political interference. Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India are established names in cricket, and any power struggle could threaten the entire future of this tournament altogether.
While the BCCI continues to flex its powers across the globe, it seems to have met its match in PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi. The ACC president has refused to budge on his decision to hold the upcoming meeting in Dhaka, thus far.
This standoff isn’t likely to be the last hurdle the 2025 Asia Cup faces. The world will be keeping an eye on the resolution, but if that does not happen, it is very likely that the entire tournament will be shelved for this year at least.
As everyone waits for a solution, one thing is clear: cricket in Asia continues to be as much about power as it is about play.
