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Ex-Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has issued a bold prediction ahead of the India-Pakistan Asia Cup showdown scheduled for September 14. The eight-team Asia Cup will serve as the first big tournament leading up to next year’s T20 World Cup which is set to take place in India during February and March. Asia Cup 2025 kicks off on September 9 The tournament kicks off on September 9 with defending champions India opening their campaign against hosts United Arab Emirates on September 10 in Dubai. India is placed along with Pakistan in Group A and clash on September 14. Basit expressed anger over the way the Pakistan Cricket Board has been operating in recent years. Just a few days ago the board downgraded the contracts of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in its newly released list of 30 centrally contracted players. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan has been demoted to category B After being demoted from category A Babar and Rizwan now belong to category B alongside Abrar Ahmed Fakhar Zaman Haris Rauf Hasan Ali Salman Ali Agha Shadab Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi. The PCB demoted Shan Masood Pakistans test captain from category B to category D after the team finished last in the ICC World Test Championship. Pacer Naseem Shah who has also been left out of the upcoming T20 tournaments in the UAE was demoted from the second tier to the third tier in the central contracts list. Wicketkeeper-batter Usman Khan who opted to represent Pakistan instead of the UAE was one of eight international players left out of the central contracts. While some key Pakistan cricketers were demoted leg-spinner Ahmed pacr Rauf opening batter Ayub T20 captain Agha and legspinner Shadab Khan were all upgraded from C to B category contracts. Basit has described the whole contract situation as a joke. The contracts are valid until June 30 2026 and Basit has described the whole contract situation as a “joke.” He then further stated: Ek majaak abhi aur hoga jab September 14 ko India vs Pakistan match hoga. Wahaan ek majaak aur hoga (One more joke will happen when India faces Pakistan on September 14. Another joke will unfold there) he told Kamran Akmal on a Youtube Game Time. Story Highlights Basit Ali expressed anger over the way the Pakistan Cricket Board has been operating in recent years. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan has been demoted to category B alongside Abrar Ahmed Fakhar Zaman Haris Rauf and several others The contract is valid until June 30 2026 and Basit has described the whole contract situation as a “joke.”