"If India boycotts..."- BCCI secretary's fresh take on game against Pakistan in Asia Cup 2025

India will face Pakistan on September 14 during Asia Cup 2025.

Devajit Saikia, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has confirmed that India will play against Pakistan during Asia Cup 2025. The two arch-rivals are scheduled to clash on September 14 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai during the tournament.

Notably, political tensions between the countries have risen in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack in April and Operation Sindoor in May. There has also been a public demand by Indian fans to shut all cricketing ties with Pakistan.

When Asia Cup 2025 schedule was announced by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) in July, many Indian fans slammed the BCCI for agreeing to play against Pakistan in the tournament. However, the Indian government released the new sports policy, which stated that India will not have any bilateral sporting ties with Pakistan. However, they can continue to play against them in multi-national tournaments.

India will play all the matches during Asia Cup 2025: BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia

During a conversation with ANI, BCCI secretary Saikia said that the Indian government has not put any restriction on playing against Pakistan in multi-national tournaments. Hence, India will play all the matches during Asia Cup 2025.

“As far as the BCCI’s view is concerned, we have to follow whatever the central government formalises. Recently, our policy, which is in place, regarding India’s participation in any multinational tournament or international tournament, there is no restrictions imposed by the central government whether we play any of the countries which are not on good terms with India. So India have to play all the matches in any multinational tournament,” he said.

“As the Asia Cup is a multinational tournament involving the countries of the Asia continent, so we have to play. And also, for any ICC tournament, when there is a country which is not on friendly terms with India, we have to play in the international tournaments. So far as bilateral is concerned, we are not going to play with any of our hostile countries,” he added.

Saikia also noted that if India refuses to play against any team in multinational tournaments, then they may face sanctions by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

“If you think that if India boycotts any of the multinational tournaments hosted by the Asian Cricket Council or the ICC, and India is not playing with a particular country, then there may be sanctions against the Indian Federation,” Saikia added.

Meanwhile, India and Pakistan are clubbed in Group A in Asia Cup 2025 alongside the UAE and Oman. Moreover, both sides are highly expected to clash once more during the Super Four round.

India will play their opening game against the UAE on September 10 in Dubai. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, the team is currently undergoing training sessions in Dubai. Pakistan, led by Salman Agha, will clash with Oman on September 12 in their opening game.

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