The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made a U-turn and decided to attend the Asian Cricket Council's (ACC) Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Thursday. The meeting will take place in Dhaka and will decide the fate of the upcoming Asia Cup, which India was scheduled to host in September. Sources within the BCCI confirmed to Hindustan Times that the board has indeed decided to attend the meeting virtually.
"Yes, we have decided to attend the meeting virtually," a BCCI source told Hindustan Times on the condition of anonymity.
Earlier, amid rising political tension between India and Bangladesh, the BCCI decided not to visit Dhaka and threatened to boycott the all-important AGM. The meeting on Thursday is set to determine the status of the Asia Cup, which is supposed to be played in a T20 format. If the tournament gets the go-ahead, it will most likely be played in the UAE, with India maintaining its hosting rights.
Considering the fact that the BCCI and PCB are not keen on playing on each other's turf, the UAE has emerged as a frontrunner to host the latest edition of the Asia Cup.
Earlier, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) had sided with the BCCI, saying they wouldn't visit Dhaka for the AGM. Considering the BCCI's changing stance, the two cricket boards are now also expected to attend the meeting virtually. The ACC chief Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), was determined to host the meeting in Dhaka.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) had sided with the BCCI, saying they wouldn't visit Dhaka for the AGM. Considering the BCCI's changing stance, the two cricket boards are now also expected to attend the meeting virtually. The ACC chief Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), was determined to host the meeting in Dhaka.
{{/usCountry}}Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday afternoon, and he was greeted by Md Aminul Islam, the chief of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
Will India play Pakistan?
Even if the Asia Cup gets the go-ahead in the AGM, it remains to be seen whether the BCCI will proceed with playing against Pakistan. In the aftermath of the terror attack in Pahalgam and then the retaliatory Operation Sindoor, calls to boycott cricketing ties with Pakistan in every capacity have gained steam.
Recently, the India Champions versus Pakistan Champions match in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 was cancelled after social media outrage. Fans did not take kindly to former Indian cricketers agreeing to play against Pakistan in the tournament. Shikhar Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, and Suresh Raina pulled out of the contest on the eve of the game, with the organisers having to cancel the match.
If the Asia Cup gets the green light, it remains to be seen what happens to India vs Pakistan. Even if India and Pakistan are not clubbed in the same group, the two teams will have to battle it out in the Super 4s stage and eventually the final if they make it to the summit clash.