IND vs PAK | When Pakistan pulled out: Asia Cup's turbulent past back in spotlight before UAE 2025

The 2025 Asia Cup will be played in the United Arab Emirates from September 9 to 28, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) confirmed earlier this month, ending weeks of speculation over India’s participation. The uncertainty had stemmed from the worsening political climate between India and Pakistan, with growing calls for boycotts of bilateral fixtures at global sporting events.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!India also announced their 15-member squad this week, with Pakistan doing so a few days earlier. Yet, the shadow of geopolitics — which has repeatedly intersected with the Asia Cup — continues to loom large.While India’s absence from the 1986 edition in Sri Lanka remained the only time the Men in Blue skipped the tournament, Pakistan too had walked away from the continental event. The fourth Asia Cup, hosted by India in 1990–91, went ahead without Pakistan after the team pulled out citing strained political relations with New Delhi.It was a major setback at the time, not just for the tournament but for Asian cricket unity. The pull-out meant the event lost one of its most intense rivalries — India vs Pakistan. India retained the trophy that year, defeating Sri Lanka in the final, but the absence of Pakistan left a glaring void.The tensions persisted, and the scheduled 1993 Asia Cup was cancelled altogether due to continuing hostilities between the two nations. Only in 1995 did the competition resume, hosted in Sharjah, UAE. India’s own withdrawal in 1986Pakistan’s pull-out was not without precedent. In 1986, India themselves withdrew from the second edition, hosted by Sri Lanka. The decision was prompted by security concerns amid the island nation’s escalating civil war with the LTTE, with the Indian government directing the BCCI to stay away.The absence reduced the tournament to just three teams — Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bangladesh — with the hosts emerging victorious. That political decision remains the only time India have missed the Asia Cup.2025 edition at a neutral venueNearly four decades later, the Asia Cup continues to operate in the shadows of regional politics. The 2025 edition, though officially hosted by India, will take place in the UAE as part of a neutral-venue arrangement with the Pakistan Cricket Board. Under the deal, Indo-Pak fixtures in the next three years will be staged at third-party venues to avoid direct hosting disputes.This year’s event will be played in the T20I format, featuring eight teams: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong. India have been grouped with Pakistan, UAE, and Oman in Group A, while Group B comprises Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong.Dubai will host 11 matches, including India’s opener against UAE on September 10 and the much-anticipated clash with Pakistan on September 14. Abu Dhabi will stage eight matches, including India’s final group encounter against Oman on September 19. The Super Four stage runs from September 20 to 26, with the final scheduled for September 28 in Dubai.