India And Sri Lanka To Skip Asia Cup 2025? Tournament Faces Uncertainty

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The Asia Cup 2025 has been thrown into fresh turmoil after India and Sri Lanka declined to attend the upcoming Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting in Dhaka, raising concerns over the tournament's organization and future.

According to a report by Telecom Asia Sport, both cricket boards pulled out of the July 24 meeting due to escalating political unrest in Bangladesh, where the session is scheduled to take place.

While India is set to host the Asia Cup in September 2025, political complications and bilateral tensions are once again casting a shadow over the regional competition. The BCCI has already postponed a scheduled tour to Bangladesh, moving it from August 2024 to September 2025, officially citing international calendar conflicts. However, diplomatic friction between New Delhi and Dhaka is reportedly a significant underlying cause.

Despite India and Sri Lanka opting out, a senior Pakistani official associated with the ACC told Telecom Asia Sport that the meeting will go ahead as planned. "We have given a 15-day period so that all the member countries can make their arrangements. If any member doesn't want to come to Dhaka, there are arrangements for online attendance, but the meeting will be held in Dhaka," the official stated.

The ACC defended its decision to host the meeting in Bangladesh, pointing out that Pakistan and Bangladesh will already be in Dhaka playing a T20I tri-series from July 20 to 24. Officials also noted that Bangladesh has not hosted an ACC session in recent years, making it a suitable venue.

However, the location of the Asia Cup itself remains uncertain. While India is currently the designated host, there are growing indications that the BCCI may request the tournament be moved to a neutral venue due to an agreement with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

This agreement was made after India declined to travel to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy. In response, the PCB insisted they would not play any matches in India for multilateral events until 2027.

The ACC has reportedly reached out to the BCCI to confirm its stance on hosting the 2025 edition but is still awaiting a formal response. Political tensions have repeatedly marred the Asia Cup, and unless resolved swiftly, history may once again repeat itself.