The future of the 2025 Asia Cup is close to being decided amid a continued politically tense atmosphere between Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh, as the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is going ahead with its annual general meeting in Dhaka despite protests from the BCCI.
Several topics will reportedly be under discussion, ranging from the venue, Pakistan, and India’s participation in the tournament, and whether to scrap the entire competition this year.
BCCI has already conveyed that it will not accept any resolution passed unless the meeting is moved outside of Bangladesh. However, their threats seem to have gone unheard, as Mohsin Naqvi, who currently serves as the ACC president, has already landed in Dhaka to chair the high-stakes meeting.
But while Pakistan and Bangladesh are present, some notable absentees are clouding the build-up. According to reports, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Oman might join India in skipping the Dhaka summit.
This isn’t the first time the Asia Cup has faced political hurdles. In 2023, the tournament was played under a hybrid model, where matches involving India and Pakistan were held at neutral venues. That compromise was made after India refused to play in Pakistan, which was the designated host. A similar hybrid model is now being floated again for 2025 as India are the hosts, with a decision expected after the ACC meeting.
The Asia Cup has long served as a showcase for South Asia’s cricketing supremacy. But political tensions continue to blur the lines between diplomacy and sport. This latest impasse has cast a shadow not just over this year’s tournament, but also over future ACC events.
As things stand, the Asia Cup 2025 finds itself on uncertain ground. With India boycotting the meeting and tensions high, cricketing diplomacy will need to pull off a masterstroke in the days ahead to salvage the tournament.
A formal dinner hosted by the ACC is expected to be held in Dhaka before Thursday’s decisive session. Whether it’s a prelude to resolution, or just a pause before a deeper split, remains to be seen. Either way, the fate of Asia’s premier cricketing events hangs in the balance.