Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has expressed his discontent with the decision to host the Asia Cup 2025 in India, just a day after the hosting rights were awarded. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ali criticised Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary, suggesting that the move was a calculated strategy to complicate Pakistan's participation in future tournaments.
Ali commented on the situation, stating that Jay Shah had effectively "killed two birds with one stone" but claimed he could do even better by "killing three birds with one stone." He then advised relocating the Asia Cup to another country, implying that Shah might reconsider after hearing his viewpoint.
Ali hinted that Pakistan might not participate in the Asia Cup if the BCCI does not agree to send its team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025. He suggested that Shah's decision to host the Asia Cup in India was a tactic to introduce a hybrid model for both tournaments.
He argued that Shah was aware of the potential consequences, including Pakistan's refusal to attend the T20 World Cup if India declined to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. Ali dismissed the idea of a hybrid model as unacceptable, suggesting that any suggestion of India adopting such an approach for the Asia Cup was merely a distraction.
Pakistan has firmly opposed moving any Champions Trophy 2025 matches out of the country, while the BCCI has not yet officially commented on India's plans to travel to Pakistan.