Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin believes India should not face Pakistan in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, citing heightened diplomatic tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack. Azharuddin is the latest voice joining the growing sentiment against the two nations facing off on the cricket field.
“I don’t think this should happen because we are playing against Pakistan in ICC and ACC tournaments only,” Azharuddin told Aajtak. “But if you look at the situation, I don’t think it should. At the end of the day, the Government of India and the BCCI will decide, but I feel the situation is bad and I don’t think we should play.”
Earlier this year, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Tensions remain high, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently confirming that the operation is still underway.
The Asia Cup, scheduled to begin on September 9 in the UAE, could potentially feature up to three India-Pakistan encounters, with the first match set for September 14.
Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary echoed Azharuddin’s concerns and urged the government to reconsider the fixture.
“I am against it. The India-Pakistan match should not be held. Especially after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam in which civilians have been killed. After that, Operation Sindoor has taken place,” Tiwary told ANI.
“The situation was so bad, how can we think of an India-Pakistan match? I feel that it should be reconsidered, and the India-Pakistan match should not happen in such an environment,” he added.
Quoting PM Modi, Tiwary stressed: “Our Prime Minister is saying that Operation Sindoor is still going on… How can we play a match with Pakistan?”
The final decision, as both Azharuddin and Tiwary note, rests with the Government of India and the BCCI.
