ACC Shifts Tournament to Neutral Venue Amid Political Tensions
February 27, 2025: The India vs Pakistan encounter in the Champions Trophy 2025 was a one-sided affair, with Rohit Sharma’s men outclassing their arch-rivals by six wickets. However, cricket fans might witness three more India vs Pakistan clashes later this year in the Asia Cup 2025, but not in India.
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According to a Cricbuzz report, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has decided to shift the tournament, originally allotted to India, to a neutral venue due to ongoing political tensions between the two nations. While Sri Lanka and the UAE are emerging as potential hosts, the BCCI will officially remain the designated host.
Why Did BCCI Lose Hosting Rights?
The ACC’s decision stems from the longstanding India-Pakistan cricket standoff. With Pakistan hosting the Champions Trophy 2025, India refused to travel, leading to their matches being relocated to Dubai. To prevent similar conflicts, the ACC has adopted a policy of hosting the Asia Cup at neutral venues whenever India or Pakistan are the official hosts.
A document obtained by Cricbuzz reportedly states:
“A key recent decision of the ACC was that the tournament be held in a neutral country when it is the turn of either the BCCI or PCB to stage it. This decision is to avoid any controversy about the India and Pakistan teams not wanting to travel to each other’s countries.”
Asia Cup 2025 Format & Team Lineup
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- Tournament Dates: Second to Fourth Week of September 2025
- Format: T20
- Total Matches: 19
- Participating Teams:
- India
- Pakistan
- Sri Lanka
- Bangladesh
- Afghanistan
- UAE
- Oman
- Hong Kong
The Asia Cup follows a structured format with two groups of four teams each. India and Pakistan are always placed in the same group, ensuring a minimum of two matches between them. If both teams reach the Super Four and then the final, fans could witness three India vs Pakistan clashes in the tournament.
What’s Next?
With the Champions Trophy already marred by political disputes over hosting rights, the Asia Cup relocation further highlights the strained Indo-Pak cricketing relations. While fans might be disappointed about missing out on home-ground action, they can still look forward to high-intensity battles between the two cricketing giants.
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