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On Saturday, the confirmation came that the 2025 Asia Cup would be played in the UAE from September 9 to 28. Both India and Pakistan are placed in Group A, and the arch-rivals will meet on September 14. If the two sides qualify for the Super 4s and win the rest of their matches, they will meet again in the final. The BCCI is the event host.
The official announcement regarding the Asia Cup came from Pakistan’s interior minister on a day when India was celebrating the Kargil Vijay Diwas. Naturally, it angered a lot of Indian fans, going by the reaction on social media. People voicing discontent have their reasons. The Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 innocent lives is still fresh in the memory. A Pakistan-sponsored terrorist organisation committed the crime against humanity.
People talk about separating sport and politics despite recognising that they are inseparable. India launched Operation Sindoor in the wake of the Pahalgam attack and put the diplomatic ties with Pakistan in deep freeze. The demand to boycott Pakistan in all sporting contests came along with it. But there’s a catch. At international level, in muti-nation tournaments, it’s nigh on impossible to do that.
Drawing a parallel with the Russia-Ukraine conflict doesn’t hold water. Fifa and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the two biggest sports federations in the world, have ostracised Russia. Athletes from that country participate in the Olympics under the banner of Individual Neutral Athletes. It is not the case with Pakistan.
Even away from sport, no international organisation has banned Pakistan. In fact, Pakistan now has the UN Security Council presidency where India is an important member.
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🚨 BREAKING: ACC president Mohsin Naqvi confirms the dates of Asia Cup 2025 pic.twitter.com/Of0lBJMmOH
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Against this backdrop, India can’t say “no” to playing Pakistan in multi-nation events. Pulling out of the tournament remains an option – theoretically but not practically. No wonder that recently, a senior official from the sports ministry spoke about the government not stopping India from playing Pakistan in multi-nation tournaments.
A couple of examples could be relevant here. In the 1980s, at the height of the Iran-Iraq War, Iraq played a Fifa World Cup qualifier against Qatar in Calcutta, a neutral venue. In 1971, Sunil Gavaskar, Bishan Bedi, Farokh Engineer, Intikhab Alam and Zaheer Abbas were teammates for the Rest of the World XI, getting along well and playing an unofficial Test series in Australia, while on the other side of the globe, the Indo-Pak War saw the formation of Bangladesh from East Pakistan.
Forget the Asia Cup, India would be co-hosting the next T20 World Cup in seven months’ time. Pakistan will be there. So, what will the BCCI do, they will boycott an event they are hosting? What about the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics – will India refuse to send the cricket team because Pakistan is part of the roster?
Things need to be put in perspective. The Asia Cup is not only about India and Pakistan. The Associate members of Asian Cricket Council (ACC) depend on the revenue generated from this tournament to run their cricket. The BCCI needed to act like a “big brother”, which it has done.
Coming back to the announcement coming from a sitting Pakistani minister, Mohsin Naqvi heads the ACC, and the protocol demanded that the confirmation came from the president’s office.
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