India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 clash faces uncertainty amid public outrage over BCCI’s agreement post-Pahalgam Terror Attack. Set in the UAE from Sept 9-28, India and Pakistan may face off up to three times if both teams progress to the final.
The Asia Cup 2025 clash between arch-rivals, India and Pakistan, has already been marred with uncertainty amid the public outrage over the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) agreement to play Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pahalgam Terror Attack, which took place in April this year.
On Saturday, the Asian Cricket Council announced the fixtures for an eight-team competition, which will begin from September 9 to 28. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the chairman of the ACC, announced that the tournament will take place in the UAE after the BCCI agreed to host the tournament at a neutral venue as per the earlier agreement with the PCB, when Team India refused to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy earlier this year.
As soon as the fixtures were announced, the BCCI faced severe criticism and backlash from the Indian public for agreeing to play against Pakistan despite the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, killing 28 tourists, including 26 Indians and 2 foreign nationals, questioning the board’s and the government’s stance.
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India is likely to face Pakistan three times
Team India will begin their quest to defend their Asia Cup triumph, which they won in 2023, against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on September 10. The Men in Blue, likely to be led by T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, will lock horns with Pakistan in the much-anticipated clash on September 14.
Looking at the fixtures and schedule, India and Pakistan are likely to face each other three times in the Asia Cup. Two arch-rivals clubbed in Group B alongside Oman and the UAE. India and Pakistan will likely finish in the top two in the group stage and qualify for the Super 4 stage. If two teams finish in two again, India will take on Pakistan in the potential final on September 28.
The last face-off between India and Pakistan was in the group stage of the Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai, where the Men in Blue defeated Mohammad Rizwan's side by six wickets.
After the Uri terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir, killing 19 Indian soldiers in 2016, the bilateral series between India and Pakistan was suspended indefinitely, and the two sides only face off in ICC and ACC events.
BCCI yet to respond to public sentiment
Over the last few days, there has been a growing chorus to boycott the match against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025. Following the Pahalgam Terror Attack in Jammu and Kashmir, there are growing calls in India to boycott all sporting engagements with Pakistan.
As per the Press Trust of India (PTI), a source close to the sports ministry stated that BCCI has not yet come under the sports ministry as the National Sports Governance (NSG) Bill is yet to be passed in the parliament. However, the ministry awaits the board’s response to the public sentiment.
“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," a sports ministry source told PTI.
Recently, India Champions decided to withdraw from the clash against Pakistan Champions after several former Indian cricketers, including skipper Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Pathan Brothers - Irfan and Yusuf, Shikhar Dhawan, and others, at the ongoing World Championship of Legends.
Indian legends’ decision to withdraw from the Pakistan clash after severe criticism and backlash among the Indian public, after former Indian cricketers agreed to play Pakistan, especially in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack.
India vs Pakistan clash unlikely to be cancelled
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has yet to take a call on whether Team India should play against Pakistan amid the public outrage. However, as per the reports, the clash between the two arch-rivals is unlikely to be cancelled as it would give an unfair edge to Pakistan.
As per the report by NDTV, a source close to the BCCI stated that India does have the right to forfeit the match against Pakistan, but it would be giving a walkaway to the arch-rivals with points.
“This is not a bilateral contest but a match in a multi-nation tournament. If India does not play or forfeit the match, it will give Pakistan a huge advantage. This will be like giving them a walkover, which is not desirable,” the sources told NDTV.
