- By Yashashvi Tak
- Sun, 03 Aug 2025 01:26 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi has hit out at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), criticising the decision to resume cricketing ties with Pakistan. Referring to the recently announced Asia Cup schedule by the Asian Cricket Council, which includes the highly anticipated India-Pakistan match, Chaturvedi said that engaging with Islamabad at this juncture amounts to earning "cursed money."
The Asian Cricket Council has announced that the Asia Cup will take place from September 9 to 28 in the UAE. The tournament will feature teams from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, the UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong. A key highlight is the much-anticipated India-Pakistan clash scheduled for September 14, which the council has labeled the tournament’s "blockbuster fixture." There is also the possibility that the two teams could meet again in the Super Four stage and potentially in the final.
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"We are confident that the 2025 edition will not only set new standards for excellence but also deepen the connection between the game and millions of passionate supporters across the continent," the Asian Cricket Council has said.
The announcement comes at a time when a significant section of Indians strongly opposes resuming cricketing ties with Pakistan, following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. In that brutal incident, 26 innocent lives were lost at the hands of Pakistan-backed terrorists, intensifying public outrage and calls for cutting all sporting engagements with Islamabad.
Voicing her protest, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said, "When money is more important than the blood of our fellow Indians and our men in uniform. Shame on GoI (Government of India) for being a hypocrite on Operation Sindoor. And dear BCCI- this is not just blood money that you'll seek to earn but also cursed money," she said.
Earlier, Indian players refused to compete against Pakistan in the World Championship of Legends after the Yuvraj Singh-led team reached the semi-finals and the match was awarded to Pakistan by default. This decision was widely welcomed by Indian fans. However, according to a report by news agency PTI citing a source from the sports ministry, the government does not have the authority to prevent the BCCI from sending the Indian team to tournaments where Pakistan is also participating.
"As of now, the BCCI does not come under the purview of the sports ministry as the National Sports Governance Bill is still to be passed. So, the ministry doesn't have a say, but we will wait and see how the BCCI responds to public sentiment," the source said.
While the ministry has stated that any bilateral sports engagement with Pakistan is "out of the question," it will adhere to the Olympic Charter for multilateral tournaments. The Charter prohibits discrimination based on political issues, and compliance is essential for India's bid to host the 2036 Olympics.