The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is reportedly considering relocating its crucial meeting, originally scheduled for July 24 in Dhaka, to Dubai, after strong objections from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The meeting is expected to play a decisive role in determining the fate of the 2025 Asia Cup.
According to sources cited by The Times of India, the shift in venue is being seriously discussed after BCCI made it clear that its officials would not travel to Bangladesh due to ongoing political tensions. The Indian board had previously postponed its white-ball tour of Bangladesh, officially citing scheduling conflicts, though diplomatic friction is widely believed to be the underlying reason.
“The venue of the Asian Cricket Council meeting to decide on the fate of the 2025 Asia Cup is likely to be moved from Dhaka,” tweeted senior journalist Gaurav Gupta, adding that Dubai is now the frontrunner.
The BCCI had earlier communicated its reservations about attending the meeting in Dhaka, urging the ACC to choose a neutral and more stable location. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam had dismissed such concerns just days ago, claiming the meeting would proceed as planned and that Dhaka was fully prepared to host all member boards.
However, India’s continued silence on participation, combined with Sri Lanka Cricket’s similar hesitance, appears to have triggered a late rethink within the ACC. With just weeks left before the proposed Asia Cup start date of September 5, the urgency to finalize logistics and scheduling has intensified.
The meeting was originally scheduled to coincide with the Pakistan-Bangladesh T20I tri-series currently taking place in Dhaka, and would have marked the first time in years that Bangladesh hosted an ACC gathering. However, deteriorating diplomatic relations in the region have now complicated those plans.
The Asia Cup 2025, slated to be played in the T20 format, is officially being hosted by India. However, with the Indian government yet to clear its team’s participation against Pakistan, the tournament is widely expected to be shifted to the UAE under a hybrid or full-neutral model. Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah remain on standby as potential hosts.
Commercial partners and broadcasters are also awaiting clarity, with concerns mounting over delayed preparations. Sony Sports and TCM Sports, key stakeholders in the tournament’s promotion and monetization, have already flagged the risk of contractual breaches due to prolonged uncertainty.
If the meeting does get relocated to Dubai, it could expedite final decisions around the Asia Cup’s schedule and format. However, if no consensus is reached during the upcoming session—regardless of venue—the tournament risks postponement or cancellation altogether.
As of now, there is no official confirmation from the ACC about the venue shift, but developments are expected to unfold in the coming days. For now, all eyes remain on whether the ACC can broker agreement among its fractured member base and salvage the 2025 Asia Cup from political deadlock.
