The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly preparing a backup plan in case the Asia Cup 2025 is cancelled or postponed. According to multiple reports, a tri-nation T20I series involving Sri Lanka and Bangladesh is being considered for the same September window allocated to the Asia Cup.
The 2025 edition of the Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from September 5 to 21, with India vs Pakistan expected on September 7. However, the tournament’s fate remains unclear due to geopolitical tensions and lack of government clearance for India’s participation in matches against Pakistan.
Asia Cup 2025 Faces Political and Logistical Challenges
While India is the designated host of the tournament, the Ministry of External Affairs has not yet approved the team’s participation. The ongoing tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack have complicated bilateral sporting engagements between India and Pakistan.
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC), chaired by Pakistan’s Mohsin Naqvi, will meet on July 25–26 in Dhaka to decide the future of the tournament. The BCCI has expressed concerns over attending the meeting in Bangladesh and has formally requested a venue change, citing political instability.
Tri-Series Proposed as Contingency Plan
If the Asia Cup is called off, the BCCI intends to hold a tri-nation series with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. This backup event would help maintain competitive readiness for the Indian team ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
A BCCI official quoted in Sports Tak confirmed the plan:
“The backup plan is a tri-series involving Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The idea is to ensure players get competitive match time before the T20 World Cup next year.”
The series could be hosted either in India or the UAE, depending on logistical and weather considerations.
Sri Lanka’s Proposal and Bangladesh Tour Postponed
India was initially scheduled to tour Bangladesh in August 2025 for three T20Is and three ODIs. However, due to the congested calendar, the two boards decided to postpone the tour by a year.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has since proposed a white-ball tour to the BCCI for the same period. This may allow the Indian team to stay active and also provide game time to experienced players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who have retired from Tests and T20Is but could feature in ODIs.
Asia Cup or Tri-Series: Importance of Match Practice
The Asia Cup 2025 was intended as a warm-up tournament for the T20 World Cup scheduled in India next year. If cancelled, the proposed tri-series will serve a similar role, giving participating teams an opportunity to test combinations and strategies.
Pakistan is reportedly working on a similar contingency: a tri-series with Afghanistan and UAE. This indicates that multiple cricket boards are planning for alternative scenarios in case the Asia Cup does not proceed.
