No bilateral sporting events with Pakistan, but Asia Cup 2025 to continue as usual: Report
The source added that the country's policy vis-à-vis sporting events against Pakistan remains unchanged.
- Aug 21, 2025,
- Updated Aug 21, 2025 5:00 PM IST
Given the massive public outrage against the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI), it has been decided that the Indian cricket team would not be stopped from playing against Pakistan in the multi-lateral Asia Cup, India Today reported, citing sources.
India and Pakistan would not engage in any bilateral sporting events barring the Asia Cup. "We will not stop Indian cricket team from playinng in Asia Cup as it is multilateral," the source said.
"But Pakistan will not be allowed on Indian soil for bilateral competitions. But we will not stop them from multilateral events as we will abide by Olympic Charter," he added.
The Asia Cup 2025 tournament is organised by the Asian Cricket Council. The high-profile India vs Pakistan match will take place on September 14 in Dubai and the finals will take place on September 29.
The multilateral tournament will follow the T20 International format ahead of next year's T20 World Cup. The ministry said that the new sports policy vis-a-vis Pakistan is effective immediately.
"Insofar as bilateral sports events in each other's country are concerned, Indian teams will not be participating in competitions in Pakistan. Nor will we permit Pakistani teams to play in India," the source said.
This implies that India will neither send its teams to compete in Pakistan nor will it allow Pakistani teams to play on Indian soil.
The policy, however, does not extend to multilateral tournaments like the Asia Cup, where the two countries may face each other as it is considered that these events provide a neutral platform for competition without needing any bilateral arrangements.
However, when asked if Indian teams would be allowed to travel to Pakistan for any multilateral tournaments, the source said that the ministry will examine the situation at the time before deciding anything.
"Even in multi-lateral events, we can't leave our athletes in lurch. After all it's a country that has no hesitation in declaring that its a dumpster and can hit the shining Mercedes that is India," he added.
Soon after the BCCI released the fixtures for Asia Cup 2025, social media users slammed the cricketing board for having the India vs Pakistan match even after the Pahalgam attack.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, who was also a part of the Operation Sindoor delegation, said that the families who lost their loved ones in the Pahalgam terror attack must be feeling betrayed because of this development.
Given the massive public outrage against the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI), it has been decided that the Indian cricket team would not be stopped from playing against Pakistan in the multi-lateral Asia Cup, India Today reported, citing sources.
India and Pakistan would not engage in any bilateral sporting events barring the Asia Cup. "We will not stop Indian cricket team from playinng in Asia Cup as it is multilateral," the source said.
"But Pakistan will not be allowed on Indian soil for bilateral competitions. But we will not stop them from multilateral events as we will abide by Olympic Charter," he added.
The Asia Cup 2025 tournament is organised by the Asian Cricket Council. The high-profile India vs Pakistan match will take place on September 14 in Dubai and the finals will take place on September 29.
The multilateral tournament will follow the T20 International format ahead of next year's T20 World Cup. The ministry said that the new sports policy vis-a-vis Pakistan is effective immediately.
"Insofar as bilateral sports events in each other's country are concerned, Indian teams will not be participating in competitions in Pakistan. Nor will we permit Pakistani teams to play in India," the source said.
This implies that India will neither send its teams to compete in Pakistan nor will it allow Pakistani teams to play on Indian soil.
The policy, however, does not extend to multilateral tournaments like the Asia Cup, where the two countries may face each other as it is considered that these events provide a neutral platform for competition without needing any bilateral arrangements.
However, when asked if Indian teams would be allowed to travel to Pakistan for any multilateral tournaments, the source said that the ministry will examine the situation at the time before deciding anything.
"Even in multi-lateral events, we can't leave our athletes in lurch. After all it's a country that has no hesitation in declaring that its a dumpster and can hit the shining Mercedes that is India," he added.
Soon after the BCCI released the fixtures for Asia Cup 2025, social media users slammed the cricketing board for having the India vs Pakistan match even after the Pahalgam attack.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, who was also a part of the Operation Sindoor delegation, said that the families who lost their loved ones in the Pahalgam terror attack must be feeling betrayed because of this development.