Pakistan cricket team to withdraw from Asia Cup 2025? Broadcaster's social media poster sparks speculations

Pakistan's participation in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 looks to be in doubt after a poster for the tournament released by the official broadcaster featured captains of only India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The absence of a Pakistan representative in the poster has sparked a speculation over their participation in the tournament.

According to media reports, India is in line to host the Asia Cup in September in the T20I format, which will serve as a preparatory tournament before the T20 World Cup next year. The 2026 T20 World Cup will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

India have time and again refused to tour Pakistan in recent times - 2023 Asia Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy - citing security reasons with the tournaments taking place in hybrid model. Come September, if at all the Asia Cup 2025 is hosted in India, Pakistan will surely won't be travelling to this part of the world.

Although there haven't been any official words from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) or any media reports regarding the Men in Green's participation in the Asia Cup 2025, the broadcaster's poster has left the fans in total confusion. To add to that, the recent India-Pakistan border conflict has also led to both countries severing ties on several issues, including sports, particularly cricket.

Will India pull out of Asia Cup 2025?

Earlier, several reports claimed that India will pull out of the Asia Cup 2025 after PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi became the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Naqvi came to power after former ACC president Jay Shah took up the role of International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman.

However, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia refuted the rumours. “It has come to our notice about some news reports that the BCCI has decided not to participate in the Asia Cup and the Women's Emerging Teams Asia Cup, both of which are ACC events. Such news are devoid of any truth as till now,” Saikia had told ANI.

“BCCI has not even discussed or taken any such steps regarding the ensuing ACC events, let alone writing anything to the ACC. At this stage, our prime focus is on the ongoing IPL and subsequent England series, both men's and women's,” he had added.