The future of the Asia Cup is looking increasingly uncertain as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) reportedly plans to boycott the upcoming Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting if it is held in Dhaka. The ACC meeting is scheduled for July 24. Sources suggest the BCCI's decision stems from strained political relations between India and Bangladesh.
Adding to the complexity, the ACC is currently headed by Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as the PCB chairman and Pakistan's interior minister. Some reports indicate that Naqvi's insistence on holding the meeting in Dhaka is being viewed as an attempt to exert undue pressure on India concerning Asia Cup matters. A source stated that the BCCI has requested a change in venue, but has not received a response. The source further added, "Asia Cup can happen only if the meeting venue changes from Dhaka. ACC chairman Mohsin Naqvi is trying to assert unnecessary pressure on India for the meeting...BCCI will boycott any resolution if Mohsin Naqvi goes ahead with the meeting in Dhaka".
Several other member boards, including those of Sri Lanka, Oman, and Afghanistan, are also reportedly backing India's stance, sharing similar reservations about holding the meeting in Dhaka. It has been suggested that any decisions made at a meeting in Dhaka without the participation of key member boards could be deemed invalid under the ACC's constitution.
Amidst the uncertainty surrounding the ACC meeting, the timeline for the Asia Cup remains unclear. While the tournament is tentatively scheduled for September, the ACC has yet to announce the official schedule or venue. The Asia Cup is intended to be a six-team tournament played in the T20 format. India is the defending champion of the Asia Cup. In 2023, India refused to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, and Sri Lanka was picked as the neutral venue for India's fixtures.
Adding another layer to the situation, the BCCI and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) recently mutually agreed to postpone India's tour of Bangladesh from August 2025 to September 2026.
However, conflicting information has emerged, with BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia dismissing the reports as "speculative and imaginary," stating that the BCCI has not engaged in such conversations or taken any steps regarding the ACC events.