- Confirmation due from BCCI and ACC: Ashley
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ashley De Silva said yesterday (19) though certain media reports emanating from India, had announced of India’s alleged pull out from the Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup to be held here next month, they were yet to be officially noticed either by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) or the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
De Silva stated that similarly the SLC were yet to be officially notified of India’s pull out from the Men’s Asia Cup to be held in September this year.
He added that till the game’s local governing body is informed of such decisions officially, the tournaments will be on as scheduled and as per the ACC calendar.
Indian media reports yesterday announced that amid the escalating border tensions between India and Pakistan, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to opt out from all Asian Cricket Council (ACC) tournaments for an indefinite period.
Notably, the ACC is currently headed by Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairperson.
According to a report from Indian Express, the Indian cricket board has informed the ACC about its decision to withdraw from the Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup, scheduled to be played next month in Sri Lanka and the Men’s Asia Cup in September.
The report also claimed that the BCCI's move to withdraw from continental event is an attempt to isolate Pakistan cricket.
“The Indian team can’t play in a tournament that is organised by the ACC whose chief is a Pakistan minister. That’s the sentiment of the nation. We have verbally communicated to ACC about our withdrawal from the upcoming Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup, and our future participation in their events too is on hold. We are in constant touch with the Indian Government,” the report stated.
India, defending champions, are the host of Men’s Asia Cup 2025 and BCCI’s stand has put a question mark on the tournament. The tournament, featuring India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, is likely to be put on the back burner for now.
The report also mentioned that the BCCI knows that most of the sponsors of international cricket events come from India and hence conducting the Asia Cup without India is not a feasible option.
Even, the format of the Asia Cup is made in such a way that both teams will play at least two games even if they don’t qualify for the finals. Moreover, an Asia Cup without the money-spinning India-Pakistan contest would not interest the broadcasters.
If the Asia Cup doesn’t happen, the ACC will have to rework their broadcasting deal with Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) who bought the rights for the next eight years for $ 170 million in 2024.
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, the full member nations of the ACC, receive 15% each from the broadcasting revenue, with the rest distributed among associates and affiliates.
The hosts of the 2023 Asia Cup was Pakistan, but the tournament was held in hybrid format where India played all their matches in Sri Lanka including the semifinal and a final after refusing to travel to the host country amid border tensions.
For the PCB, the event proved to be a damp squib as Pakistan failed to make it to the final and India won the title contest against Sri Lanka at Colombo.
Earlier in the year, India again refused to travel to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy and played all their games at Dubai International Stadium. Again, India went on to win all the tournaments and remained unbeaten in the entire event.