Pune: Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Former Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur has defended the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) against recently sparked criticisms over India playing against Pakistan in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 match. The match will take place on Sunday at 8 PM IST.
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Speaking to the media in Pune, Anurag Thakur said, "When multinational tournaments are organised by ACC or ICC, it becomes a compulsion, a necessity for nations to participate. If they don't do that, they will be eliminated from the tournament, they will have to forfeit the match, and the other team will get the points."
Further speaking, Thakur said, "But India doesn't play bilateral tournaments with Pakistan. We have made this decision for years that India won't play bilateral tournaments with Pakistan until Pakistan stops terrorist attacks on India."
Fans & Opposition Oppose the Match
In April 2022, the Pahalgam terror attack happened in Kashmir, where 26 innocent Indian civilians were killed. It intensified anti-Pakistan sentiments in India. In May 2025, India successfully carried out Operation Sindoor, where they targeted terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). According to reports, over 100 terrorists were killed.
After some months, when the Asia Cup draws were announced, it was confirmed that India would play Pakistan on 14th September. It drew much criticism from fans in India and opposition parties. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Supreme Court seeking cancellation of the match; however, it was denied.
"Boycott BCCI, We Won’t Watch the Match"
There is a worry among Indians that this match undermines the morale of India's Armed Forces and disrespects the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. Some political parties and public voices have called for boycotts or questioned the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for "treating Pakistan sportingly".
The BCCI maintains it must follow government policy, which allows participation in multinational tournaments like the Asia Cup but excludes bilateral series versus Pakistan. Critics accuse BCCI of prioritising commercial gains, as India-Pakistan matches generate massive revenue and television ratings.
"My Conscience Doesn’t Allow Me to Watch the Match": Owaisi
In the recent monsoon session of the Lok Sabha, AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi strongly opposed this. In a fiery speech, Owaisi said, "You’ve stopped trade; Pakistan’s aircraft can’t enter our airspace, their boats can’t enter our waters, and trade has completely ended. Then why isn’t your conscience awake? You play a cricket match with Pakistan? Does this government have the courage to call the families of those killed in Pahalgam and say, 'We have taken revenge in Operation Sindoor, and now watch the Pakistan match'? My conscience does not allow me to watch that match."
With inputs from ANI
