Asia Cup 2025: RPG Group Chairman Harsh Goenka posed a playful question ahead of the high-stakes Asia Cup match between India and Pakistan scheduled for Sunday, September 14.
“India vs Pakistan tomorrow. Heart says don’t watch, mind says does it even matter, patriotism says boycott, sanity says cheer your team. Even my mai-baaps are giving mixed signals. What on earth should I do?” Harsh Goenka posted on social media platform X.
India-Pakistan matches have been halted for years with the government maintaining that India will not play bilateral tournaments against its arch foe, but will continue to face them in multilateral tournaments such as the ongoing Asia Cup and ICC events.
Ever since the India vs Pakistan fixture was declared, calls for boycotting the high-voltage clash grew louder as the BCCI was asked to withdraw the game in the light of Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor.
India vs Pak Asia Cup match 2025
India will face Pakistan as part of the Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai on Sunday, September 14. The match is scheduled to begin at 8pm IST.
Acting president Rajeev Shukla will be the lone Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official to attend the match tomorrow.
The social media has been flooded with anger attacks at the BCCI for going ahead with the IND vs PAK clash, following the Government of India’s approval to play in multi-nation tournaments and not in bilateral events.
‘India does not play…’
Speaking to ANI, BJP leader and former sports minister Anurag Thakur said that India’s participation in such matches is driven by tournament rules, not a shift in its diplomatic and national policies.
“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,” Thakur told ANI.