There is an ongoing uproar regarding the schedule of the India vs Pakistan match in the Asia Cup 2025. This tournament, to be held in September, has a proposed India-Pakistan clash on 14 September. However, as soon as the schedule was announced, social media was flooded with criticism and many people started demanding that the government stop this match. This raises the big question – can the Government of India or the Sports Ministry stop this encounter?
In April this year, 26 people were killed in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, in an attack by Pakistan-backed terrorists. After this tragic incident, military tensions between India and Pakistan have increased. In such an atmosphere, it is natural for questions to be raised about an India-Pakistan cricket match. But the truth is that the Sports Ministry cannot directly interfere in this matter.
A source from the Ministry of Sports told news agency PTI, “At present, the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) does not come under the direct control of the Sports Ministry because the ‘National Sports Governance Bill’ has not yet been passed. So, the ministry has no official role, but we will see how BCCI responds to the emotions of the public.”
This clearly means that BCCI is an autonomous body and is free to make its own decisions without government interference. However, if there is a nationwide wave of opposition, indirect pressure could build on the board.
The Asia Cup is not an ICC event. It is organised by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Currently, the ACC is headed by Mohsin Naqvi, the chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board.
India and Pakistan are scheduled to face each other on 14 September in the Asia Cup. If both teams progress further, they could meet two more times. These matches are extremely profitable for broadcasters, as the advertising rates for these games are the highest.
Sony Network has purchased the broadcasting rights from the ACC for 170 million USD for eight years. If India vs Pakistan matches do not take place, the broadcaster will incur huge losses, which will also reduce the revenue for other ACC member nations. While this won’t affect the BCCI much, it will hurt smaller cricketing nations.
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Tournament to be held in the UAE
The Asia Cup is scheduled from 9 September to 28 September in the UAE. India and Pakistan have been placed in the same group. The tournament will be played in the T20 format, as part of the preparations for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
A total of eight teams are divided into two groups. Group A consists of India, Pakistan, UAE, and Oman. Group B includes Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong.