No lead sponsor for India ahead of Asia Cup 2025: reports

NEW DELHI: India are likely to head into the upcoming Asia Cup without a lead sponsor after Dream11 withdrew from its contract with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) last month.

On September 2, the BCCI initiated the process of finding a new partner by releasing an invitation for expressions of interest (EOI) for the lead sponsorship rights of the national team. 

According to the media reports, interested parties have until September 12 to purchase the EOI documents, while the deadline for bid submission is September 16. The Asia Cup begins on September 9 and runs until September 28.

The sponsorship void emerged after the Indian government passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill last month, prohibiting real-money gaming — Dream11’s primary business. 

Following the legislation, Dream11 informed the BCCI it would invoke the exit clause in its agreement. The deal, signed until 2026 and valued at approximately USD 44 million (INR 358 crore), was terminated prematurely.

This is not the first time the BCCI has faced such a challenge. In 2019, mobile company OPPO pulled out three years before its contract was due to end, after which ed-tech firm Byju’s stepped in. 

Dream11 then secured a three-year agreement in 2023, but its tenure has now been cut short.

In its latest EOI, the BCCI outlined restrictions on prospective sponsors, ruling out alcohol brands, betting or gambling services, cryptocurrency platforms, online real-money gaming, tobacco companies, and any product or service deemed offensive to public morals, including pornography.

Meanwhile, India are scheduled to depart on September 4 for the United Arab Emirates, where they are placed in Group A alongside Oman, Pakistan, and the hosts UAE. 

They open their campaign against UAE on September 10 in Dubai, face arch-rivals Pakistan on September 14 at the same venue, and round off the group stage against Oman on September 19 in Abu Dhabi.

Group B features Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, and Sri Lanka. The top two teams from each group will progress to the Super Four stage, with the top two from that round contesting the final on September 28.

India's squad for the Asia Cup:

Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Shubman Gill (vc), Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube , Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy , Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson

Reserve players: Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal