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BCCI Yet To Request India, Pakistan Separation In ICC Events And Asia Cup - Reports

Jatin

BCCI breaks silence on IND vs PAK grouping in ICC events [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/x.com]BCCI breaks silence on IND vs PAK grouping in ICC events [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/x.com]

Amid growing tension following the tragic Pahalgam attacks, chatter around India and Pakistan potentially being separated in future ICC tournaments has been doing the rounds. But before fans get carried away with rumours, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has stepped in to set the record straight because a lot is being said, but not all of it is grounded in reality.

BCCI Awaits Government Nod Before Deciding On India, Pakistan Grouping In ICC Events

Despite several media reports suggesting that the BCCI has written to the ICC, asking not to be clubbed with Pakistan in future global tournaments, the actual picture looks different.

BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla was quick to clarify: the board will act only in accordance with the Indian government’s instructions. And as of now, a senior BCCI official confirmed to Cricbuzz that they have made no such request to the ICC.

The emotional temperature is high and the board is certainly sensitive to national sentiment but nothing has been inked, emailed or escalated officially.

No Groupings In Women’s ODI World Cup

Interestingly, the next major ICC event is the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025, which India will host between September and October. But there’s a catch; it uses a round-robin format, which means there are no fixed groups, so the India-Pakistan issue becomes irrelevant for that specific tournament.

Pakistan has qualified and while the BCCI will have to designate a neutral venue for their matches, there is still time before a call is made. So, for now, it’s business is as usual.

The Asia Cup Drama

Before the women’s World Cup rolls around, there is one more spicy tournament on the radar which is the men’s Asia Cup 2025. The BCCI is also the designated host for this one but as was the case in Asia Cup 2023, the tournament will be shifted to a neutral venue.

What is interesting is that the Asia Cup media rights deal worth a whopping $170 million is built on the promise of India vs Pakistan matches. At least two per edition, with a potential third if they clash in the final.

The ACC isn't messing around either. The 2025 edition alone is valued at $38 million so separating India and Pakistan in the groups is not something they wouldd do lightly.

In the last edition, held under a hybrid model, India and Pakistan were clubbed in the same group and we got to see them square off twice, once in the group stage and again in the Super Four. A third match was on the cards in the final but Pakistan didn’t make it. India went on to clinch the trophy by hammering Sri Lanka.

As per Cricbuzz, the draw for the 2025 edition was supposed to happen in May, but that could now be pushed back because the ultimate decision on grouping and perhaps even the venue depends on how things unfold politically in the coming weeks and months.