Sunil Gavaskar Questions Pakistan’s Asia Cup Future Amid Uncertainty

Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has expressed grave reservations regarding Pakistan’s involvement in the forthcoming Asia Cup due to continued political tensions between India and Pakistan. These tensions have mounted after the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, that killed 26 tourists.

India and Sri Lanka will co-host this year’s Asia Cup, but the venues and dates are yet to be confirmed. It has been reported in recent times that the tournament could not be held as the diplomatic situation is delicate.

ACC Could Be Dissolved, Gavaskar Predicts

In a chat with Sports Today, Gavaskar pointed to the probability that the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) would not be around if things continued as they are.

“I don’t know how it will be. It may be that the Asian Cricket Council may well be dissolved, and you may just have a three-nation tour, that may well have a three-nation tournament, or a four-nation tournament with possibly Hong Kong or UAE being invited. So that may well happen, the Asian Cricket Council may well be dissolved. But I feel it is subject to what happens in the next few months,” he said.

Gavaskar also said that the BCCI usually acts according to the instructions of the Indian government in matters related to Pakistan.

“BCCI’s attitude has always been what the government of India instructs them to do. So I don’t think that it would be any different when it comes to the Asia Cup. India and Sri Lanka are hosting this edition of the Asia Cup, so it is just a matter of whether things have changed at all, but if things haven’t changed, then I don’t see Pakistan now being included in the Asia Cup, which is going to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka.”

India Can Host Alternate Multi-Nation Tournament

Gavaskar suggested that if India pulls out of the Asia Cup or the ACC, an alternative multi-nation tournament can be held. This tournament could feature other teams from Asia such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan, and could be hosted in India.

“It may very well happen that India chooses to withdraw from the Asian Cricket Council may very well happen. We can say fine we’re going to have a 4 nation tournament or a 5 nation tournament in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and it may be, it may very well be that if the tournament is being held in Bangladesh, the tournament is being held in Sri Lanka, but of course India is going to host, then India will host it in India,” Gavaskar further said.

No Sports During Political Turmoil

Looking at the tense India-Pakistan relationship, Gavaskar reiterated how challenging it was to sustain sports diplomacy during this time.

“I won’t be surprised in the least if the Asian Cricket Council gets dissolved with what has been going on. I mean if you’ve got two nations, you know, fighting against the other fellow, then it’s, it’s a little bit tough to, to play sport with each other,” he elaborated.

While tensions continue to simmer and uncertainty hangs over the fate of the Asia Cup and the ACC, Gavaskar’s comments provide a frank insight into the complicated overlap of cricket and geopolitics in the region.