Following the Pahalgam terror attack in India’s Kashmir late last month, where Pakistan-based terrorists killed 26 innocent lives in broad daylight, all tourists from India and abroad, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar cast massive doubts over Pakistan’s participation in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka later this year.

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On April 22, several terrorists opened fire at the tourists present in the Baisaran Valley in the deadliest attack on Indian soil since the 2019 Pulwama bombing. India robustly responded to Pakistan by suspending the Indus Valley Treaty, downgrading diplomatic ties, recalling the Indian officials from Islamabad and closing the Attari border functioning. On the cricketing front, India vowed not to play against Pakistan in bilaterals anytime soon.

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Meanwhile, in a chat with India Today, Gavaskar said the BCCI’s stance remains the same as that of the Indian government; as things stand, they are highly unlikely to play any cricket - bilateral or global, with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack. 

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Gavaskar said Pakistan's participation in the Asia Cup 2025 remains under massive doubt, should the situation remain the same or fail to get any better.

"BCCI's stance has always been what the government of India tells them to do. So I don't think it would be any different when it comes to the Asia Cup. India and Sri Lanka are the hosts for this particular edition of the Asia Cup, so it depends on whether things have changed at all, but if things haven't changed, I can't see Pakistan now being part of the Asia Cup, which is going to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka," Gavaskar said.

India’s exit could blow up ACC

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The former India opener also claimed that if India decide against hosting and playing the Asia Cup 2025 because of Pakistan’s participation, then the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) could end, especially considering that PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi is its head. 

"I don't know how it will be. It might be that the Asian Cricket Council could well be disbanded, and you could just have a three-nation tour that could well have a three-nation tournament or a four-nation tournament with maybe Hong Kong or the UAE being invited. So that could well happen, the Asian Cricket Council could well be disbanded. But I think it is dependent on what happens in the next couple of months," said Gavaskar.

"It could well happen that India decides to pull out of the Asian Cricket Council that could well happen. We can say look we're going to have a 4-nation tournament or a 5-nation tournament in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan, and it could well be that if the tournament is held in Bangladesh, the tournament is held in Sri Lanka, but obviously India is going to be the host, then India will host it in India," he added.