'Nation above all': Harbhajan Singh slams BCCI ahead of World Championship League 2025 final

Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh has strongly opposed India playing Pakistan in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, saying there is no place for cricket between the two nations. Harbhajan’s remarks come ahead of the Asia Cup 2025, where India and Pakistan could potentially face each other up to three times, beginning with a group-stage match in Dubai on September 14.

The former cricketer believes it is wrong to share the field with Pakistan while soldiers are risking their lives to protect the nation, stressing that national interest should take precedence over any sporting contest.

“They need to understand what is important and what is not. This is as simple as that. For me, the soldier who stands on the border, whose family often doesn’t get to see him, who sometimes sacrifices his life and never returns home, their sacrifice is so immense for all of us. Compared to that, this is a very small thing, that we can’t skip playing one cricket match. It’s a very small matter,” Harbhajan told the Times of India.

He also reiterated the government's stance in the matter, saying cricket and terror cannot go together. “Our government has the same stance, blood and sweat cannot co-exist. It cannot be the case that there’s fighting on the border, tensions between the two nations, and we go to play cricket. Until these big issues are resolved, cricket is a very small matter. The nation always comes first,” he said.

“Whatever our identity is, it’s because of this country. Whether you are a player, an actor, or anyone else, no one is bigger than the nation. The country comes first, and the duties we owe to it must be fulfilled. Not playing a cricket match is nothing compared to the importance of the nation,” he added.

His comments come amid continuing tensions between India and Pakistan following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam April this year. The former spinner recently featured in the World Championship of Legends, an exhibition tournament that included both Indian and Pakistani teams.

However, the India Champions side boycotted their matches against Pakistan, including the semi-final, citing the ongoing tensions. Several players, including Harbhajan and Shikhar Dhawan, pulled out, while the team’s sponsor EaseMyTrip withdrew, stating, “terror and cricket cannot go hand in hand.”

By refusing to play in the semi-final, the Indian team allowed Pakistan to advance to the final, where they were defeated by South Africa by nine wickets.