No Pakistan in Asia Cup? Gavaskar Questions ACC’s Future Amid Rising India-Pakistan Tensions

Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has cast serious doubts over the future of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) following the appointment of Mohsin Naqvi as its new president. In light of the growing geopolitical strain between India and Pakistan, Gavaskar believes the ACC could potentially face disbandment, significantly altering the structure of continental cricket.

“I wouldn’t be shocked at all if the Asian Cricket Council is disbanded given the ongoing tensions,” Gavaskar said. “If you’ve got two countries fighting against each other, then it is a little bit difficult to play sport with each other.”

Gavaskar floated the possibility of India withdrawing from the ACC, a move that could lead to the Asia Cup being reduced to a three- or four-nation event, possibly involving Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and invitees like UAE or Hong Kong.

“It’s entirely possible that India could choose to withdraw from the Asian Cricket Council altogether,” he said. “In that case, we might end up with a three-nation or four-nation tournament. Even if the tournament is held in Bangladesh or Sri Lanka, India could still play a major role in hosting it, perhaps even within their own borders.”

Gavaskar’s remarks underline the growing complications for multinational cricket events in Asia. As diplomatic relations remain strained, bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan continues to look unlikely, further clouding the ACC’s relevance in the region.