India has officially confirmed that it will not host or travel to Pakistan for bilateral sports contests, but Indian athletes and teams can still compete in multi-nation events where Pakistan is also participating. This guideline, issued by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, allows India’s participation in upcoming tournaments like the Asia Cup 2025 India vs Pakistan clash in September and the Women’s ODI World Cup in October, both of which involve Pakistan.
At the same time, Pakistan’s athletes and teams will also be allowed to take part in multilateral events hosted in India. However, the statement did not clarify one important point, whether Indian players will be permitted to participate in multi-nation tournaments if those events are held in Pakistan, including future contests like the Asia Cup 2025 India vs Pakistan match.
This clarification comes at a sensitive time when political tensions between the two neighboring countries remain high. The official stance provides much-needed clarity on India’s sporting relations with Pakistan, which have long been restricted by political and security concerns.
India vs Pakistan in Asia Cup
The statement from the Sports Ministry arrived less than three weeks before the Asia Cup 2025 India vs Pakistan fixture, which will take place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). India and Pakistan, placed in the same group, are scheduled to meet at least once in the tournament, on September 14 in Dubai. Depending on results, they could face each other up to three times.
This game will mark the first cricket clash between the two countries since the Pahalgam terror attack in April, after which cross-border hostilities intensified. In the current climate, several voices had called for India to completely cut off all sporting ties with Pakistan.
Evidence of this pressure was seen during the World Championship of Legends (WCL) in July. This tournament featured retired players, but both scheduled matches between India Champions and Pakistan Champions were abandoned. Most notably, India Champions forfeited their semi-final match against Pakistan Champions, sparking debates on whether all Indo-Pak contests, including the Asia Cup 2025 India vs Pakistan clash, should be avoided.
With the government’s recent announcement, India now has official clearance to play Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 India vs Pakistan clash. Originally, the Asia Cup was to be hosted in India, but the venue was later shifted to the UAE in July to ensure Pakistan’s participation.
The ministry’s statement read:
“In so far as bilateral sports events in each other’s country are concerned, Indian teams will not be participating in competitions in Pakistan. Nor will we permit Pakistani teams to play in India.”
This makes it clear that while direct bilateral series remain off the table, multi-nation events like the Asia Cup 2025 India vs Pakistan match will continue as per international norms.
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Guidelines for Multilateral Events
The Indian government’s new guidelines stressed the importance of international practices and the interests of Indian sportspersons when it comes to global tournaments like the Asia Cup 2025 India vs Pakistan. The ministry explained that India aims to maintain its status as a credible and preferred venue for hosting international events.
The statement further clarified:
“Indian teams and individual players will take part in international events that also have teams or players from Pakistan. Similarly, Pakistani players and teams will be able to participate in such multilateral events hosted by India.”
To strengthen India’s position as a sporting hub, the ministry announced simplified visa processes for sportspersons, team officials, technical staff, and international sports administrators. Office-bearers of international sports governing bodies will be granted multi-entry visas for up to five years, depending on their tenure. This measure is aimed at ensuring smooth movement for international sports officials in and out of India, matching global standards, especially for high-profile tournaments like the Asia Cup 2025 India vs Pakistan clash.
Additionally, the government promised to extend due protocol and courtesies to the heads of international sporting bodies during their visits to India, which reflects India’s broader goal of becoming a preferred global destination for international sports. This step could directly benefit tournaments like the Asia Cup 2025 India vs Pakistan fixture, which attracts worldwide attention.
A Long History of Restricted Bilateral Cricket
The ministry’s clear statement only confirms what has already been an unwritten rule for over a decade, India and Pakistan will not meet in bilateral series but will continue to face off in ICC and ACC tournaments. The last time the two countries played a bilateral cricket series was back in 2012. Since then, their encounters have only been limited to multi-nation events like the ODI and T20 World Cups, the Champions Trophy, and the Asia Cup.
Pakistan has traveled to India for multi-nation events in the past, such as the 2016 T20 World Cup and the 2023 ODI World Cup. However, India has consistently avoided visiting Pakistan. For example, during the 2025 Champions Trophy, India’s matches, including their semi-final and final, were not played in Pakistan. Instead, they were shifted to Dubai under what has been called a hybrid hosting model.
This hybrid system, agreed upon by both the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) and the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board), is expected to continue for all remaining ICC events in the 2024-2027 cycle. It allows tournaments to proceed without forcing India to travel to Pakistan, while still keeping Pakistan involved in the international cricketing calendar.
With the government’s stance clarified, athletes on both sides now know they will still get the opportunity to compete at the highest international stage. The Asia Cup 2025 India vs Pakistan game in Dubai will once again remind fans that even if bilateral ties remain frozen, the excitement of Indo-Pak sporting clashes survives through multi-nation events.
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