Will India and Pakistan Face Off in Asia Cup 2025?

The Asia Cup 2025 is scheduled to be hosted by India in September, but uncertainty looms over whether the two arch-rivals, India and Pakistan, will play against each other in this tournament.

Why the Doubt?

• Tensions Between India and Pakistan have escalated since the terrorist attack in Pahalgam (April 2025), which prompted India to launch Operation Sindoor targeting terrorist hideouts in Pakistan.

• Due to this heightened tension, India’s government’s permission is now crucial before the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) allows any match against Pakistan on Indian soil.

• The BCCI has reportedly approached the Indian government seeking clarity on how to proceed with Pakistan’s participation.

What Has Happened So Far?

• The official Asia Cup promo by Sony Sports featured captains from India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka—but notably excluded Pakistan, sparking speculation and social media uproar.

• Pakistan’s matches might be played outside India, possibly in Colombo (Sri Lanka) or Dubai, but no formal agreements with Sri Lanka Cricket or the Emirates Cricket Board have been made yet.

• The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in October 2025 will have India-Pakistan matches held in Sri Lanka, showing some precedent for matches involving Pakistan being played outside India.

Statements from BCCI

• A BCCI official said they have not ruled out playing against Pakistan, but any decision depends on government directives.

• The official also noted that India and Pakistan regularly face off in ICC tournaments, but the current political climate has introduced hesitation.

• No official talk of boycotts has occurred yet; things will unfold in the coming days.

Other Key Points

• Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief Mohsin Naqvi is currently the chairman of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), while IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal is also on the board.

• ACC has postponed some other women’s Asia Cup events recently.

• Sony Sports has invested heavily (~$170 million) in broadcast rights and would seek compensation if the Asia Cup 2025 is canceled or disrupted.

• Asia Cup 2025 will be played in T20 format ahead of the T20 World Cup early next year.