When India pulled out of Asia Cup - And the big story behind it

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When India skipped the Asia Cup

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2025 Asia Cup edition at a neutral venue

NEW DELHI: The 2025 Asia Cup will be played in the UAE from September 9 to 28, the Asian Cricket Council confirmed earlier this month, ending weeks of uncertainty over India’s participation. Doubts arose after India–Pakistan relations hit a fresh low, triggering calls to boycott Pakistan at global sporting events.Silence from the BCCI kept broadcasters, sponsors, and fans on edge before the board finally confirmed that the defending champions will compete.India’s absence from the 1986 Asia Cup remains the only time the Men in Blue have missed the continental tournament. The decision came just two years after they lifted the trophy in the inaugural 1984 edition.That year’s event was scheduled in Sri Lanka but was overshadowed by the country’s escalating civil war, which had broken out in 1983 between the government and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Concerned for player safety, the Indian government instructed the BCCI to withdraw the team, making it a politically sensitive move given India’s delicate regional diplomacy over the conflict.The pull-out left only three participants — Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bangladesh — with the hosts eventually lifting the trophy. The 1986 decision remains a rare example of India skipping a major multi-nation cricket event, underscoring the priority given to national security over sporting obligations.The upcoming Asia Cup will follow the T20I format and feature eight teams: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong. India is in Group A with Pakistan, UAE, and Oman, while Group B includes Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong. Although India is the formal host, a neutral venue arrangement with the PCB ensures that Indo-Pak fixtures over the next three years are staged at third-party venues.Dubai will host 11 matches, including India’s opener against the UAE on September 10 and the high-profile clash with Pakistan on September 14. Abu Dhabi will stage eight games, including India’s final group match against Oman on September 19. The Super 4 stage runs from September 20 to 26, with the final set for September 28 in Dubai.If both sides progress, India and Pakistan could face each other up to three times — in the group stage, the Super 4, and potentially in the title clash — ensuring the cricketing rivalry stays in sharp focus despite the political tensions surrounding it.

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