The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is facing immense pressure to boycott the India-Pakistan match in the Asia Cup 2025, but they are refusing to budge from their stance. Despite growing calls for a boycott, India has no choice but to play Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025, due to the government's policy regarding participation in multi-lateral events.
The India-Pakistan match is scheduled for September 14, 2025, in Dubai. This match is one of the most highly anticipated cricket matches in the world, and it always draws huge crowds, no matter where it is played.
The calls for boycotting the match have grown louder after the terror attack in Pahalgam, where 26 people were killed. India also launched Operation Sindoor targeting terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Many fans have expressed their displeasure with the BCCI for agreeing to play against Pakistan despite the recent events.
Despite the public outcry, the Indian government has issued a policy that allows the teams to play against each other in multi-lateral events. According to BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, the BCCI is playing against Pakistan as per the government's policy. He stated that India has to play in multi-national tournaments and that they cannot refuse to play, as doing so would be against the spirit of the game and the interests of the players.
However, the BCCI seems to be aware of the boycott campaign that is currently trending on social media. According to a report, most of the BCCI officials have decided to distance themselves from the match, in what is being viewed as an "invisible" boycott by the Indian cricket board. It has been reported that no senior BCCI official has traveled to Dubai yet.
Amidst the controversy, the Indian team management is trying to keep the players focused on the game. Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate acknowledged that the boycott sentiments are a sensitive issue, but he stressed that the team has been instructed to follow the directives of the BCCI and the Indian government. He said that the team's message is to separate sports and politics and to focus on cricket.
India and Pakistan have a long history of rivalry in cricket. The two teams have played each other 13 times in the T20I format, with India leading 9-3. In Asia Cup history, India has won 10 matches, while Pakistan has won 6, and 3 matches were abandoned.
Both India and Pakistan have won their opening matches of the Asia Cup 2025. India defeated UAE by nine wickets, while Pakistan defeated Hong Kong China by 93 runs.
The India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 match is scheduled to start at 8:00 PM IST and will be available to watch on live streaming and live telecast in India.
