Indian team gets ‘green light’ to play against Pakistan in Asia Cup

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has finally “given” the green light to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), paving the way for the Indian cricket team to play matches against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025, Aaj News reported.

Eight teams will participate in the event, including Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Hong Kong.

According to Indian media, there were some differences between India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, which have now been resolved amicably, after which major obstacles to the tournament plan have been removed.

Speaking to media after the ACC Annual General Meeting on July 24 , Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi had said discussions with the BCCI were ongoing and expressed confidence that all matters related to the Asia Cup 2025 will be resolved soon.

“The environment was positive and constructive. No one wants politics; we are all here to work for cricket,” Naqvi had said.

ACC annual meeting, which was chaired by the ACC president and attended by all 25 members in Dhaka, Bangladesh, had approved the tournament calendar for 2025–2026, “in line with ACC’s sustained commitment to high-quality cricketing opportunities across its member countries,” the ACC had said in a press release.

Asia Cup 2025 to be held from September 9-28 in UAE, Mohsin Naqvi confirms

In a significant late development, the BCCI had chosen to participate in the ACC Annual General Meeting virtually, reversing its earlier position amid ongoing political tensions in the region. Indian media had previously reported that the board might skip the meeting due to strained diplomatic ties with Bangladesh and Pakistan.

India currently holds the official hosting rights for the 2025 edition of the Asia Cup. However, given the sensitivities involved, particularly following heightened military tensions between India and Pakistan in May, hosting the event in the UAE was floated as a compromise.

The Indian media even reported last month that the board had decided to pull out of the tournament - a rumour soon rejected by the BCCI officials.

Meanwhile, Naqvi on Saturday confirmed dates for the Asia Cup 2025, saying the tournament will take place from September 9 to 28.

Whereas, in his statement on social media account X, Naqvi said detailed schedule of the Asia Cup will be released soon.