India’s new move to isolate Pakistan; to withdraw from Asia Cup tournament

MUMBAI: The BCCI has informed that the Indian team is withdrawing from all tournaments in the Asia Cup in the wake of the India-Pakistan tensions. The new move is aimed at isolating Pakistan. India's Operation Sindoor and Pakistan's provocations following the Pahalgam terror attack had strained political relations between the two countries. The BCCI's decision comes in this context.

The move by India, who are also the present champions of Asia Cup, is a major setback for the Pakistan Cricket Board. The BCCI has informed the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) of its decision to withdraw from the Women's Emerging Teams Asia Cup to be held in Sri Lanka next month and the Men's Asia Cup to be hosted by India in September, reports The Indian Express.

The present head of the ACC is Mohsin Naqvi. He is not only the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and is also the home minister of the Pakistani government. This is one of the main reasons for India's withdrawal from the Asia Cup. The BCCI has taken a stand that India will not play in the tournament being hosted by a Pakistani minister. The decision was taken keeping in mind the sentiments of the country.

‘We have verbally informed the ACC about the withdrawal of the upcoming Women's Emerging Teams Asia Cup. We have also suspended our future participation in their events. We are in constant touch with the Indian government' - BCCI sources responded to the national media. There is no doubt that India's move will make the future of the Asia Cup uncertain.

Most of the sponsors of international cricket matches are from India. Therefore, the Asia Cup is unthinkable without India. In 2024, Sony Pictures Networks India had won a US$ 170 million deal for the media rights of the Asia Cup for the next eight years. If the tournament is canceled, Sony will have to renegotiate the deal.

This is not the first time that India and Pakistan have had problems in the Asia Cup. The BCCI had refused to send the Indian team to Pakistan in 2023. Therefore, Sri Lanka was chosen as a neutral venue to host all of India's matches that year. India took the same stance for the Champions Trophy matches. The Indian matches were held in Dubai that year.