India’s cricket team may head into the Asia Cup 2025 without a lead sponsor, after Dream11 pulled out of its contract with the BCCI last month.
Sponsorship Void Ahead of Asia Cup
On September 2, the BCCI initiated the process of finding a new team sponsor by inviting expressions of interest. Interested parties can purchase the documents until September 12, with the deadline for bids set on September 16. However, the Asia Cup kicks off on September 9, leaving a high chance India will play the early matches sponsorless.
The development comes after the Indian government’s Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill banned real-money gaming — Dream11’s primary business model. Following the legislation, the company invoked an exit clause and withdrew from its USD 44 million (₹358 crore) deal, which was supposed to run until 2026.
“𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒍 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝑪𝑪𝑰 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒖𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒐𝒓,” 𝒂 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒄𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅.
BCCI’s Sponsorship Struggles
This is not the first time the BCCI has faced a mid-contract exit. In 2019, OPPO stepped down three years early, and Byju’s took over before Dream11 won the rights in 2023.
In its latest invitation, the BCCI clearly restricted categories such as alcohol, betting, cryptocurrency, online gaming, tobacco, or any product that could “offend public morals.”
“𝑾𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒗𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕,” 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝑪𝑪𝑰 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆.
India’s Asia Cup Campaign
The Indian squad departs on September 4 for the UAE. They are grouped with Pakistan, Oman, and the UAE in Group A. Matches are scheduled against the UAE on September 10, Pakistan on September 14 in Dubai, and Oman on September 19 in Abu Dhabi.
Group B features Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, and Sri Lanka. The top two teams from each group will progress to the Super Four, with the final to be played on September 28.
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