India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 is not just another high-voltage cricket match — it’s already stirring political controversy in India. The much-anticipated match, part of the Asia Cup 2025 scheduled from September 9 to 28 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has drawn sharp criticism from Indian political leaders. With India and Pakistan placed in the same group, concerns have been raised over whether it is appropriate to play a cricket match amid ongoing diplomatic tensions and recent terror attacks.
AIMIM (All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen) President Asaduddin Owaisi criticized the scheduling of the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 match, stating that the current political and security climate does not justify resuming sporting ties.
“When Pakistan’s aircraft cannot enter our airspace, their boats are restricted from our waters, and trade relations have been completely halted — how can we justify playing cricket with them? We have stopped 80 percent of their water supply under the Indus Water Treaty reforms, saying that blood and water cannot flow together. Then why should we allow a cricket match?”
The Hyderabad MP also invoked the recent Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 25 Indian citizens. He questioned the government’s security mechanisms and demanded accountability:
“My conscience does not allow me to watch that match. Does this government have the courage to call the families of the 25 people who died and tell them, ‘We took revenge with Operation Sindoor, now go watch the match’? It’s deeply saddening. Who is responsible for the Pahalgam incident? With over 7.5 lakh soldiers and paramilitary forces deployed in the region, how did four terrorists manage to infiltrate and kill our citizens? Who will be held accountable?”
Shiv Sena’s Take on the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 Game
Joining the criticism,Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant echoed similar views, calling the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 game inappropriate when India had the upper hand in diplomatic and military stand-offs., :
“If India was in a vantage position, what stopped us from reclaiming Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)? This was the ideal time to settle the matter, just like Indira Gandhi did during the 1971 war. Playing cricket with Pakistan under such circumstances is not just inappropriate — it’s unacceptable.”
India-Pakistan Cricket Relations: A Sensitive History
India and Pakistan have a long-standing, tense cricketing rivalry influenced by decades of political conflict. Since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, bilateral cricket series have been suspended, and the two nations now only face each other in multinational tournaments like the ICC World Cup or Asia Cup.
While the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has confirmed that the Asia Cup 2025 will go ahead as planned in the UAE, including an India-Pakistan clash in the group stage, the decision is expected to remain under scrutiny, especially if border tensions or terror-related incidents escalate further.
As public sentiment remains divided, the political opposition to the match could shape public discourse and possibly influence future government stances on sporting diplomacy.
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