BCCI Writes to ICC After Pahalgam Terror Attack, Asia Cup Decision Delayed

Asia Cup 2023 and India’s Title Win

The upcoming men’s ICC tournament will be held in 2026, as the T20 World Cup event will be hosted by India and Sri Lanka between February and March. Currently, BCCI’s main focus will be the Asia Cup, which is set to take place in September with India as the host. However, as per the reports, the tournament would be completely held at a neutral venue, with Dubai and Sri Lanka as expected venues.

The fresh report on the website indicates that “The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has sold the media rights for the Asia Cup - valued at $170 million for four editions - based on an unofficial understanding that each edition will feature at least two India-Pakistan matches, with the possibility of a third if the teams meet in the final. The media rights deal is middle-heavy than front- or back-loaded, which means the 2025 edition would cost around $ 38 million, instead of the average value of $ 42.5 million."

“The previous edition of the Asia Cup took place in 2023, ahead of the ODI World Cup. It followed a hybrid format, featuring both India and Pakistan in the same group. The arch-rivals met twice during the tournament — once in the group stage and again in the Super Four. However, the second encounter was abandoned due to rain. Pakistan, notably, did not make it to the final, while India clinched the title with a dominant win over Sri Lanka in the summit clash.”

BCCI Pays Tribute to Pahalgam Terror Attack

As a mark of respect and unity, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) honored the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack during IPL Match 41 between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

"In remembrance of those who lost their lives, a 60-second silence was observed before the start of play, following an official announcement over the public address system, as per the BCCI's media advisory."

The BCCI also made a deliberate choice to hold the match in a  subdued manner. There were no cheerleader routines, fireworks, musical performances, or DJ entertainment — maintaining a respectful atmosphere in light of the somber occasion.