Asia Cup History: When India and Pakistan Pulled Out or Cancelled Participation
The Asia Cup 2025 is just a month away, but politics has once again cast a shadow over cricket’s biggest subcontinental showdown. Originally scheduled to be hosted by India, the tournament has now been moved to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) following Pakistan’s demand for a hybrid model and rising political tensions.
Recent reports after Operation Sindoor suggested that India might even pull out of the tournament entirely. Although no official decision has been made yet, it appears that India is leaning towards travelling to the UAE to participate.
This wouldn’t be the first time politics interfered with the Asia Cup. Let’s revisit the notable instances when India and Pakistan withdrew or the tournament was cancelled altogether.
1986 – India Bows Out
The second edition of the Asia Cup was held in Sri Lanka. India, fresh from winning the inaugural tournament in 1984, decided to skip the event due to strained diplomatic ties with Sri Lanka at the time.
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Replacement: Bangladesh filled in for India.
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Participants: Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh.
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Impact: India’s absence reduced the competition’s prestige, but it went ahead as planned.
1990–91 – Pakistan Withdraws
Political issues between India and Pakistan flared up again in the early ’90s. This time, Pakistan chose not to participate in the 1990–91 edition hosted by India.
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Final: India vs Sri Lanka.
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Result: India won the tournament, with Kapil Dev playing a vital role.
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Impact: Without an India-Pakistan clash, fan interest dipped, and broadcasters struggled to attract the same viewership.
1993 – Asia Cup Cancelled
The political deadlock reached a point where the 1993 Asia Cup was called off entirely. Tensions between India and Pakistan made it impossible to host the tournament in any neutral venue at that time.
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Impact: This remains the only edition to be completely cancelled in the competition’s history.
Since 1995 – Consistent Participation
From the 1995 edition onwards, India and Pakistan have participated in every Asia Cup, regardless of where it’s hosted. Despite occasional diplomatic strains, cricket has mostly prevailed over politics.
India enters the 2025 tournament as defending champions, having beaten Sri Lanka in the 2023 final to win a record eighth title. Whether political tensions will derail their campaign this year remains to be seen, but fans on both sides of the border are hoping cricket takes center stage.
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What Happens If India Doesn’t Play Against Pakistan?
If India chooses not to face Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025, it won’t be treated as a match cancellation. Instead, under Asian Cricket Council (ACC) regulations, it will be counted as a forfeit. This means:
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Pakistan will automatically be awarded all the points for that game.
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Mohammad Rizwan’s side will officially be declared the winner of the fixture.
The ACC has placed India and Pakistan in the same group, which sets the stage for multiple possible encounters:
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Group Stage:
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September 10 – India vs UAE
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September 14 – India vs Pakistan
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September 19 – India vs Oman
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Super Four Stage (if both qualify):
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September 21 – India vs Pakistan
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Final (if both make it):
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September 28 – India vs Pakistan
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India will play their first group match against UAE on September 10, second against Pakistan on September 14 and third against Oman on September 19.If both India and Pakistan make it to Super Four they will play each other on September 21. If both make it to the final they will play on September 28.
In total, the two arch-rivals could meet up to three times during the tournament. But if India decides to skip their clash, Pakistan would benefit significantly in the points table—potentially altering the entire tournament’s balance.
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