Asia Cup 2025: India-Pakistan set to go ahead after government nod

The Indian Government has clarified its stance regarding sporting relations between India and Pakistan as the India-Pakistan clash for the upcoming Asia Cup has got approval. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports issued a public statement, clarifying their stance on the matter. 

The ministry confirmed that India will not engage with Pakistan in bilateral contests, however, the teams will take part in multi-nation events involving Pakistan. There is, however, no clarity on whether Indian athletes will take part in events hosted by Pakistan.

The statement comes fewer than three weeks from the commencement of the Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates. The arch-rivals are scheduled to take on each other on September 14 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

As per the fixtures, there is a possibility of at least two more meetings between the two teams apart from the group-stage fixture, provided the teams qualify for the subsequent stages (Super Four and the final). Meanwhile, this will be the first time India will be facing Pakistan since the terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of several people.

"In so far as bilateral sports events in each other's country are concerned, Indian teams will not be participating in competitions in Pakistan. Nor will we permit Pakistani teams to play in India. With regard to international and multilateral events, in India or abroad, we are guided by the practices of international sports bodies and the interest of our own sportspersons. It is also relevant to take into account India's emergence as a credible venue to host international sports events," read the statement released by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

The Board of Cricket for Control in India and the Pakistan Cricket Board have agreed on a hybrid model for all remaining ICC events in the 2024-27 cycle. As per the arrangement, both the countries will only play at neutral venues. The first instance of this was observed in the 2025 Champions Trophy, where the Men in Blue played their matches, including the final, in the UAE.