India can't pull out of Asia Cup or Pakistan clash: reports

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly given a green signal for not only to play the Asia Cup 2025 but also decided not to withdraw a fixture against Pakistan, which drew criticism from some sections of Indian media and former cricketers.

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) recently unveiled the highly anticipated schedule for the Men's Asia Cup 2025, confirming that arch-rivals India and Pakistan will lock horns on September 14 in the UAE.

According to reports, India, as the official host of the tournament, cannot withdraw from the Asia Cup or refuse to play against Pakistan.

During a recent ACC meeting held in Dhaka, the Indian cricket board reportedly gave a nod to proceed as planned, effectively ruling out the possibility of a boycott.

Citing sources, reports suggest that following the BCCI's formal approval, withdrawing from either the tournament or the high-profile fixture against Pakistan is no longer a viable option.

"The BCCI cannot withdraw from the tournament or the match now. The decision was agreed upon after the ACC meeting. Since India is the host nation, nothing can be changed at this stage. An official-level discussion took place, and the outcome was decided accordingly. The match will go ahead as scheduled," BCCI sources were quoted on Sunday.

Officials within the Indian board confirmed that internal discussions were held at the official level and that all decisions were made following those consultations.

Notably, the BCCI has not issued any statements suggesting a boycott — either during or after the meeting, or since the release of the official schedule.

However, the situation escalated after the schedule was announced.

Indian media outlets heavily criticised their own cricket board and government, with renewed calls to boycott the Pakistan match — drawing parallels with similar sentiments expressed during the World Champions League.

Adding to the noise, several former Indian cricketers have openly voiced their disapproval of playing against Pakistan amid the current political climate.

The eight-team tournament will get underway on September 9 with a curtain-raiser between Afghanistan and Hong Kong.

This edition of the continental event will follow the T20 format, serving as a crucial warm-up ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

Pakistan, on the other hand, will begin their campaign against Oman on September 12, whereas, there final group-stage match is scheduled for September 17 against the UAE.

Depending on results, the two sides could face each other again in the Super Four stage and potentially in the final — meaning fans could witness up to three encounters between the arch-rivals during the tournament.