Team India is likely to feature in the upcoming Asia Cup without a lead sponsor on their jerseys after Dream11 pulled out of its deal with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) last month, according to an ESPNCricinfo report.
On Tuesday, the BCCI initiated the process to find a new sponsor by releasing an invitation for expression of interest (EOI) for the lead sponsorship rights. Interested parties can purchase the document until September 12, while the deadline for submitting bids is September 16. The Asia Cup begins on September 9 and runs till September 28.
Why Dream11 pulled out
The Indian government’s recent passage of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, which bans real-money gaming, forced Dream11 to terminate the contract. The company communicated its decision to the BCCI, citing an exit clause that allowed such a move in case of regulatory changes.
The deal, signed last year and valued at 44 million USD (about Rs 358 crore), was supposed to run until 2026. Before Dream11, Byju’s had been the sponsor after stepping in when OPPO pulled out of its agreement in 2019, three years before its scheduled end.
Sponsorship restrictions
In its fresh invitation for team sponsorship, the BCCI has made it clear that brands linked to alcohol, betting or gambling, cryptocurrency, online money gaming, tobacco, or anything “likely to offend public morals” — including pornography — will not be eligible to bid.
India’s Asia Cup fixtures
India will open their campaign against the UAE on September 10 in Dubai, followed by a high-profile clash against Pakistan on September 14 at the same venue. Their final group-stage match will be against Oman on September 19 in Abu Dhabi.
The Super 4 stage will be held from September 20 to 26. If India tops Group A, all of their matches will be in Dubai. If they finish second, one match will shift to Abu Dhabi, with the rest in Dubai. The final is scheduled for September 28 in Dubai.
India squad for Asia Cup
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Surya Kumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh.
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Reserves: Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal.
