New Delhi, April 25, 2025: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has firmly denied rumors that it approached the International Cricket Council (ICC) with a request to place India and Pakistan in separate groups for future global cricket tournaments.
The speculation, which surfaced following the recent Pahalgam attacks, triggered widespread discussion across media and social platforms. However, BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla dismissed the reports as baseless.
“No such request has been made. Any decision regarding participation or bilateral engagement with Pakistan is subject to consultation with the Indian government,” Shukla clarified.
BCCI sources further confirmed that no official communication on this matter has been exchanged with the ICC.
Despite strained cricketing ties between the two nations, there is no official move to alter tournament formats or group allocations at this time. Cricket remains one of the few arenas where India and Pakistan continue to face off in international competitions, particularly in multilateral events.
Looking ahead, the next ICC event on the calendar is the Women’s ODI World Cup in September-October 2025, to be held in India. Pakistan has already qualified for the eight-team tournament, which will be played in a round-robin format, meaning all teams will face each other, eliminating the need for separate groupings.
Due to ongoing diplomatic sensitivities, Pakistan’s matches may be held at neutral venues, even though India is the host nation. The final decision regarding venues is still pending.
Before the Women’s World Cup, attention will turn to the men’s Asia Cup, scheduled for September 2025. While India retains hosting rights, the tournament is likely to be held at a neutral venue—most likely the UAE or Sri Lanka—due to logistical and diplomatic considerations.
The Asia Cup has become a commercially significant event in the cricketing calendar. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has secured a $170 million media rights deal for four editions of the tournament, which includes an informal understanding to feature at least two India-Pakistan clashes per edition, with a third possible if both sides reach the final. The 2025 edition is projected to generate around $38 million, slightly below the average per-tournament revenue of $42.5 million.
In the 2023 Asia Cup, India and Pakistan were placed in the same group and played two matches—one in the group stage and another in the Super Four round. The second match was washed out, and Pakistan failed to advance to the final. India ultimately claimed the title with a dominant win over Sri Lanka.
The final announcement regarding the Asia Cup venue and format is still awaited, though it was initially expected in May.
