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India's legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar does not see India and Pakistan playing against each other on the cricket field in Asia Cup amidst tensions hightening between them after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. India and Sri Lanka are joint hosts of the tournament and Gavaskar doesn't see Pakistan being part of it.
"BCCI's stance has always been what the government of India tells them to do. So I don't think it would be any different when it comes to the Asia Cup. India and Sri Lanka are the hosts for this particular edition of the Asia Cup, so it depends on whether things have changed at all, but if things haven't changed, I can't see Pakistan now being part of the Asia Cup, which is going to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka," Gavaskar told Sports Today.
ACC getting disbanded, a possibility
Gavaskar also predicted that the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) might be disbanded. Also, it may end up being a four-nation tournament with either Hong Kong or UAE replacing Pakistan. However, he believes that the last call will be taken in a couple of months depending on relations between two countries.
"I don't know how it will be. It might be that the Asian Cricket Council could well be disbanded, and you could just have a three-nation tour, that could well have a three-nation tournament, or a four-nation tournament with maybe Hong Kong or UAE being invited. So that could well happen, the Asian Cricket Council could well be disbanded. But I think it is dependent on what happens in the next couple of months," he added.
Will India pull out of Asia Cup?
Gavaskar also sees a scenario where India decide to pull out of the Asia Cup 2025 which will be played in the T20 format in order to prepare for the T20 World Cup 2026. He also said that cricketing relations will be difficult between the arch-rivals.
"It could well happen that India decides to pull out of the Asian Cricket Council. We can say look we're going to have a 4 nation tournament or a 5 nation tournament in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and it could be, it could well be that if the tournament is held in Bangladesh, the tournament is held in Sri Lanka, but obviously India is going to be the host, then India will host it in India," he added.
"I won't be surprised at all if the Asian Cricket Council gets disbanded with what's been happening. I mean if you've got two countries, you know, fighting against each other, then it's, it's a little bit difficult to, to play sport with each other," he concluded.
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