BCCI rejects rumors of request to ICC over India-Pakistan grouping

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has rejected rumors suggesting that it approached the International Cricket Council (ICC) to request that India and Pakistan be placed in separate groups at future global tournaments. 

The speculation, which emerged in the wake of the recent Pahalgam attacks, has sparked heated discussions but appears to be based on unfounded claims.

BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla clarified that any decision regarding Pakistan’s involvement in international tournaments would be made in consultation with the Indian government. 

Additionally, BCCI sources have confirmed that no official communication has been made with the ICC on this matter.

Despite the current sensitivities surrounding India-Pakistan cricketing relations, there is no official move to alter the tournament grouping structure at this time.

Looking ahead, the global cricket calendar is relatively quiet, with no ICC events scheduled until the Women’s ODI World Cup in September-October 2025, which will be held in India. 

Pakistan has already qualified for the eight-team competition, which will be played in a round-robin format, meaning all teams will face each other without the need for group allocations.

Matches involving Pakistan are expected to take place at a neutral venue, and although India is the host nation, the BCCI is responsible for selecting the venue. This decision is still pending.

Before the Women’s World Cup, the focus will shift to the men’s Asia Cup, with India holding the hosting rights. 

However, the tournament will be played at a neutral location, with September being the targeted timeframe. The host country, likely to be either the UAE or Sri Lanka, has not been confirmed.

The Asia Cup’s structure is influenced by commercial factors, with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) securing a $170 million media rights deal for four editions. 

This deal includes an informal agreement to feature at least two India-Pakistan fixtures per tournament, with a third possible if both teams meet in the final. The 2025 edition is expected to generate $38 million, slightly below the average of $42.5 million.

In the 2023 Asia Cup, India and Pakistan were in the same group and met twice — once in the group stage and once in the Super Four. The second match was washed out, and Pakistan failed to qualify for the final. 

India went on to win the tournament, defeating Sri Lanka in a dominant final.

The host nation and tournament draw for the upcoming Asia Cup are yet to be finalized, though an announcement was initially expected in May.