- By Shibra Arshad
- Sun, 14 Sep 2025 09:14 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
India vs Pakistan Asia Cup: Just five months after the deadly Pahalgam terrorist attack, an Asia Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan has raised the political temperature in the country. The cricket face-off, which is scheduled for today, has come under severe criticism for its timing.
With victim families questioning the match timing and criticising BCCI for playing a match with Pakistan, several opposition leaders have called the stand wrong and have urged people to boycott the match.
The match is facing rising objections from citizens over Pakistan's alleged role in the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack, killing 26 people.
Political Temperature Surges As Opposition Leaders Slam Centre
- Several political leaders berated the central government and the BCCI for playing a match with Pakistan on an international platform. While several opposition leaders have urged for boycott of the match, the women's wing of Shiv Sena (UBT) has decided to send sindoor to the central government to remind them of women who lost their husbands in the terrorist attack.
- AAP leaders and workers staged a protest outside their office, burning an effigy labeled "Pakistan" while former minister Saurabh Bharadwaj urged the public to boycott establishments that would live telecast the India-Pakistan Asia Cup match. This move is part of a larger backlash from various opposition parties, including Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT).
- "The Indian government is making cricketers play with such disgusting people who wiped our sisters' sindoor. We'll expose all the clubs and restaurants in Delhi that telecast India-Pakistan matches," said Bharadwaj.
- Uddhav Thackeray, leader of Sena (UBT), questioned the timing of the India-Pakistan cricket match, referencing PM Modi's earlier statement on the Indus Water Treaty, where he said ‘water and blood can not flow together’. Thackeray asked how "blood and cricket" go together, suggesting that the government's decision prioritises profit over patriotism.
- "How can war and cricket be at the same time? They have made a business out of patriotism. They just want money," added Thackeray.
- Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi requested people to stand together against Pakistan and said, "Pakistan cricketers were humiliating us and Operation Sindoor on their social media...We do not want to play against Pakistan till Pakistani players stop supporting terrorists.”
- Congress MP Imran Masood also criticised the move, saying, people are busy minting money without caring about ‘sisters’ who lost their husbands. Masood further said, "It is business. There is excitement in India-Pakistan matches. Tickets are being sold at high prices. They do not care that our sisters' Sindoor has been destroyed. These people are busy making money in the name of cricket. Our sisters' families were destroyed, and they are going to play cricket with Pakistanis. The government should be ashamed.”
Victim's Wife Reacts
Aishanya Dwivedi, the wife of Shubham Dwivedi, who was killed in the Pahalgam terrorist attack along with 25 others, also criticised the decision to play a match with Pakistan. Aishanya said, "It seems that BCCI has no feelings for those 26 people who died in Pahalgam. They don't value it because no one from their family died. Why are the cricketers playing with Pakistan? Players can also take their stand.”
India vs Pakistan Asia Cup Today: Minister Says, ‘Match Is A Compulsion’
Describing the decision to play the match with Pakistan as a compulsion, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said if India opts out of the match, Pakistan will get a point.
"When multinational tournaments are organised by the ACC or the ICC, it becomes a compulsion, a necessity for nations to participate. If they don't, they will be eliminated from the tournament, they will have to forfeit the match, and the other team will get the points. But India doesn't play bilateral tournaments with Pakistan," said the minister.
Asia Cup Match Between India and Pakistan: Omar Abdullah Says, ‘No Problem’
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that, as per his understanding, there had been no problem in playing multi-team tournaments with Pakistan.
The highly anticipated India-Pakistan match in the Asia Cup 2025 is set for today, Sunday, at 8:00 PM IST (7:30 PM local time) in Dubai. Both teams have started strong, with India dominating UAE and Pakistan triumphing over Oman, and are considered favorites to advance to the Super Four stage, potentially leading to another thrilling encounter.