Asia Cup 2025: ECB confident India-Pakistan clash will proceed despite boycott calls

The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) has expressed confidence that India and Pakistan will face off in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 despite ongoing calls for cancellation amid Operation Sindoor.

Both teams have been drawn in the same group, meaning they will meet for the first time since the April 2025 Pahalgam attack on September 14. Depending on results, the archrivals could also cross paths again in the Super 4 stage or even the final of the continental T20 tournament.

Concerns about the fixture arose after India withdrew from matches against Pakistan in the recent World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025, a privately run tournament in England. The India Champions side refused to play both their group match and semifinal against Pakistan in that event.

However, ECB CEO Subhan Ahmed clarified that the Asia Cup is an official Asian Cricket Council (ACC) event, not a private league, and therefore should proceed without disruption.

“While I cannot give a formal guarantee, there is no risk of Pakistan and India not playing,” Ahmed told Pakistan Observer. “The Asia Cup cannot be compared to private tournaments like the World Championship of Legends, where India declined to play Pakistan in the league stage and semi-final.”

Tensions between the two nations have escalated since the Pahalgam attack, which prompted India to launch Operation Sindoor. Many Indian fans have since called for a complete boycott of Pakistan.

Despite this, the Asia Cup is expected to go ahead as planned, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) operating independently. The tournament will be held in the T20 format as preparation for next year’s ICC T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

The two sides last met in the group stage of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai, where India defeated Pakistan by six wickets. Both the BCCI and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have so far avoided public comment on social media speculation about the match.

Currently, the Indian cricket team is on a break after drawing the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test series 2-2 in England under captain Shubman Gill. Pakistan, meanwhile, is touring the Caribbean, having won the T20I series against the West Indies and preparing for a three-match ODI series before heading to the UAE for the Asia Cup.