Ongoing political tensions between India and Pakistan have cast uncertainty over the upcoming Asia Cup, with reports suggesting that India may seek to postpone or cancel the tournament altogether. The development comes in the wake of a recent attack in India’s Pahalgam region, which the Indian government is using as a justification to take a more aggressive stance on the diplomatic and sporting fronts against Pakistan.
According to The Times of India, Indian authorities are actively exploring options to either delay the Asia Cup or prevent it from taking place altogether. The tournament was scheduled for September, following India’s series against Bangladesh, and was to be held at a neutral venue. Despite being the host nation, India has reportedly started lobbying to move Pakistan’s matches to a different location—reviving the “hybrid model” that was originally proposed by Pakistan last year and rejected by India at the time.
Ironically, with the current scenario not favoring India, it now appears open to the same model it once dismissed. This has raised eyebrows among sports analysts who believe that India is once again mixing politics with sports.
This isn’t the first time such an incident has occurred. India previously took a hard line during the 2019 World Cup and the 2023 Asia Cup, using international sports as a means of diplomatic pressure. In a related move, India is also rumored to be reconsidering its scheduled ODI and T20 series against Bangladesh, allegedly in response to sensitive remarks made by a retired Bangladeshi general about India’s northeastern regions.
Experts in Pakistan argue that India is attempting to isolate Pakistan not just diplomatically, but also in the realm of sports. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and several members of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) reportedly oppose India’s latest efforts, reaffirming their stance on keeping sports separate from political agendas.
