Asia Cup 2025 to be called off amid Israeli air strike on Qatar? Here is what we know

Trouble seems to be brewing once again in the Middle East as Israel launches a deadly air strike deep inside Qatar's territory in an effort to wipe out the Hamas leaders. Loud explosions were heard in and around the capital city as Israeli missiles pounded the residential areas. It is widely believed that these residential areas hosted a handful of Hamas leaders who were present at the time of an attack to forge a ceasefire deal to end the war in Gaza. 

The latest military escalation is a reminder that peace in this part of the world is highly fragile. Fears of a wider military conflict are already looming. While a Qatari response is awaited, experts believe that any retaliatory strike will most certainly plunge the region into a state of war and anarchy. With the geopolitical stability of the region now at stake, the attention now shifts to the ongoing Asia Cup 2025, which is currently being staged in the UAE. Although the UAE does not share land borders with Qatar, the two nations are geographically closer on the map. 

Besides, the Israeli missiles fall well within the range, and the UAE is certainly not immune to Israel's advanced warfare tactics. So is a big threat looming on the Asia Cup? And what repercussions will this military escalation have on the fate of the tournament? Read on as we bring you the latest insights.   

See also: Asia Cup 2025: IND vs UAE Today Match Prediction– 2nd Match, Who will win today?

Will the Asia Cup 2025 be called off? 

For countless generations, the UAE has served as a neutral hub. Unlike its troubled Arab neighbours, the UAE has been viewed as a symbol of hope and prosperity amid one of the most troubled regions in the world. Whenever a diplomatic standoff spiraled out of control, the country would play the role of a mediator to settle political differences. 

The Gulf Nation is home to nearly 1.10 crore people, nearly 70% of whom are expats from several different countries. In the past, the UAE has seen some deadly wars unfold at its doorstep. From the First Gulf War and the Second Gulf War to the latest military escalation between Israel and its Arab neighbours, the UAE's people have largely remained unharmed throughout these deadly conflicts. 

While there has been no official announcement from the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), the apex body will certainly be keeping a tab on this evolving situation. As the UAE is home to diverse people and has not experienced a war-like situation on its home soil since its independence, chances of an Israeli airstrike thankfully remain slim. But if the situation were to get out of hand, the ACC would have to make a hasty decision either to postpone the league indefinitely or completely move it outside the Middle East.

IPL and PSL came to a halt amid Indo-Pak clash in May

Earlier in May, the world saw how a war-like situation between India and Pakistan prevented play from taking place on the cricket field. PSL was the first league to be called off as India planned to launch retaliatory strikes to avenge the Pahalgam loss. In response, Pakistan also struck back, and the tension escalated to a point where India could no longer carry on as usual.

The Dharamshala fixture was called off midway through the first innings under the pretext of floodlight failure. But the truth behind this hasty abandonment reveals a much darker picture. On that day, it was believed that several Pakistani drones were spotted across the Indian border. Dharamshala, not being far away from the frontlines, could have been an easy target, and hence, a decision was reached to subsequently pause the IPL for a week.

We are living in a time when geopolitical tensions are at an all-time high. Be it North Africa, the Middle East, or the Indian subcontinent, we are never far away from experiencing a military escalation. In these tense moments, sports should always be looked at as a tool to ease hostilities. Cricket has also served us timely reminders that wars don't often have to be fought on a battlefield. They can also be fought on the field of play with the bat and the ball.