Indian govt clarifies stance on IND vs PAK clash in Asia Cup 2025

The Indian government has clarified its stance on the upcoming IND vs PAK clash in the Asia Cup 2025 later this year.

While the archrivals have not played bilateral cricket for years, they continue to face off in global tournaments.

The Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) has cited the Indian government’s guidelines for its refusal to tour Pakistan or play bilateral cricket with the Men in Green.

Calls have been made in India to boycott the IND vs PAK clash in the upcoming continental tournament, set to be hosted by the defending champions in the United Arab Emirates.

Such calls intensified after India pulled out of their games against Pakistan, including their semi-final, in July’s World Championship of Legends.

However, India’s Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has now maintained that their national team can take part in multi-nation events that also involve Pakistan.

“With regard to international and multilateral events, in India or abroad, we are guided by the practices of international sports bodies and the interest of our own sportspersons,” the Indian ministry said in a statement.

It added, “Accordingly, Indian teams and individual players will take part in international events that also have teams or players from Pakistan. Similarly, Pakistani players and teams will be able to participate in such multilateral events hosted by India.”

The clarification from the Indian government has put an end to uncertainty surrounding the highly anticipated IND vs PAK game in next month’s Asia Cup 2025.

The archrivals are drawn in the same group and will face off on September 14 in Dubai, with possibility of playing against each other three times in the upcoming edition of the continental tournament.

A month later, women’s teams of the archrivals will face off in the ODI World Cup.