India to pull out of Asia Cup? Pakistan cricket braces for ₹220 crore fallout

The BCCI has reportedly informed the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) of its decision to boycott all upcoming ACC events, including the high-profile Men’s Asia Cup. According to an  Indian Express report, the decision is seen as a direct response to the tournament being headed by Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi—doubling as PCB chairman—sharpening India’s stance amid mounting cross-border tensions.

If the boycott goes ahead, the financial fallout for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) could be severe. India’s participation in Asia Cup and ICC events generates an estimated ₹165–220 crore ($20–26 million) per cycle for the PCB. 

These matches are global cash cows, with India-Pakistan contests routinely drawing record-breaking viewership and advertiser premiums.

The 2024–2032 broadcast rights for the Asia Cup were sold to Sony Pictures Networks India for a staggering $170 million, a valuation largely driven by India’s participation. 

Without the tournament’s biggest draw, the deal may be renegotiated at a significant markdown—crippling the revenue pool and slashing PCB’s share. Each full ACC member currently receives 15% of the broadcast earnings, a stream that could quickly dry up.

The PCB is facing serious financial strain following the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. Despite investing PKR 14 billion in stadium upgrades, India’s refusal to play in Pakistan—and the final’s shift to Dubai—slashed expected revenues, with reported losses over PKR 7 billion (approx. ₹700 crore). To manage cash flow, PCB has taken an overdraft of PKR 3–6 billion. Poor ticket sales, rain-hit matches, and India’s absence deepened the crisis, delaying payments to players and umpires. 

Cost-cutting is underway, hitting match fees and domestic cricket budgets. Still, PCB publicly denies financial instability, citing a projected PKR 3 billion profit from the tournament and a record PKR 10 billion profit last fiscal, claiming ICC covered all event costs and calling the fee cuts a planned restructuring.

The impact goes beyond balance sheets. An India boycott would mean fewer marquee games for Pakistani cricketers, reducing global exposure, sponsorship potential, and digital reach. With Indian audiences driving a bulk of online views and engagement, PCB’s digital ad revenue and YouTube monetization would likely plummet.

The broader cricketing ecosystem across Asia could also take a hit. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, heavily reliant on Indian markets, face collateral damage if India withdraws. Sponsors and broadcasters may lose interest, and the prestige of tournaments like the Asia Cup could sharply decline.

This isn’t the first time political tension has disrupted cricketing calendars. 

In 2023, India refused to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, forcing a hybrid model with matches in Sri Lanka. 

But a full-scale withdrawal from all ACC events marks a major escalation. With the BCCI reportedly in close consultation with the government, Pakistan cricket now faces the risk of isolation. 

Meanwhile, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has denied that the board has even discussed the prospect of pulling out from this year’s Asian Cricket Council (ACC) tournaments. 

“Since this morning, it has come to our notice about some news items about BCCI’s decision not to participate in Asia Cup and Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup, both ACC’s events. Such news are devoid of any truth as till now BCCI has not even discussed or taken any such steps regarding the upcoming ACC events, leave alone writing anything to the ACC," Saikia said in a statement.