As public outrage intensifies over India’s scheduled Asia Cup encounter against Pakistan on September 14 in Dubai, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has stepped forward to clarify its position.
Secretary Devajit Saikia has strongly defended the fixture, underlining that the board is simply adhering to guidelines issued by the Government of India.
The disapproval stems from the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 tourists lost their lives. In the aftermath, several former cricketers, political voices, and fans demanded that India boycott the Pakistan clash.
However, Saikia made it clear that such decisions are not taken unilaterally by the BCCI but flow directly from official government policy.
“We Follow What the Government Formalises”
Speaking to ANI, Saikia explained that India’s participation in multinational tournaments—whether the Asia Cup or ICC events—is governed by a policy revised by the central government in August.
“So far as the BCCI’s view is concerned, we have to follow whatever the central government formalises,” Saikia said.
The revised framework allows India’s participation in multinational sporting events even if countries with hostile relations are involved.
However, it maintains a clear ban on bilateral engagements with such nations. “Recently, our policy, which is in place, regarding India’s participation in any multinational tournament or international tournament—there is no restriction imposed by the central government on whether we play any of the countries which are not on good terms with India,” Saikia clarified.
He emphasised that India, as a member of the International Cricket Council (ICC), has binding commitments. “As the Asia Cup is a multinational tournament involving Asian nations, we have to play. The same applies to all ICC events,” he noted.
No Bilateral Engagements, Only Multilateral Obligations
Reiterating the line of distinction, Saikia said: “So far as bilateral is concerned, we are not going to play with any of our hostile countries.” This makes it clear that while India will not host or tour Pakistan for a bilateral cricket series, it cannot opt out of multilateral tournaments without breaching international obligations.
Risks of Boycott and International Sanctions
Saikia also warned of the far-reaching consequences of any boycott. Refusing to play against specific countries in multinational tournaments could expose India not only to sanctions from the ICC but also from global sporting bodies across other disciplines.
To explain the seriousness of the issue, he drew a parallel with athletics: “Suppose in athletics, India is not playing a particular tournament because we have to compete with a player from a hostile country. In that situation, if sanctions come against the Indian Athletic Association, then take the example of Neeraj Chopra—he would be barred from participating in international events.
That would be detrimental to our athletes’ interests.”
According to Saikia, the central government has taken such scenarios into account before formulating a balanced, pragmatic policy that secures national interests without isolating Indian athletes from the global sporting stage.
Past Instances of India Playing Pakistan Despite Tensions
The current situation is not unprecedented. India and Pakistan have clashed several times in multinational cricket tournaments, even when bilateral cricketing ties were suspended.
- 2019 ICC World Cup (England): India faced Pakistan in Manchester despite ongoing border tensions following the Pulwama terror attack and Balakot airstrikes. The match drew massive global viewership, but no compromise on security or government policy.
- 2022 T20 World Cup (Australia): The two sides met in Melbourne, and the fixture was one of the most-watched matches in T20 history.
- Asia Cup 2022 (UAE): India played Pakistan twice, once in the group stage and again in the Super Four.
- Champions Trophy 2017 (England): India faced Pakistan twice, including the final, which Pakistan won.
In each of these tournaments, India’s participation was guided by the same principle—that while bilateral matches remain suspended, multinational tournaments require compliance with ICC rules. Thus, the upcoming Asia Cup clash is consistent with past precedent.
Public Outrage Seen as Emotional, Not Practical
The BCCI Secretary also suggested that the anger against India’s participation is more emotional than rational. While public sentiment may demand boycotts to register symbolic protest, in the real arena of international sports, such gestures rarely have any impact.
“We are following the policy framed by the Government of India and are happy to do so. The policy has been carefully designed to protect India’s image globally and safeguard our athletes across all sports, not just cricket,” Saikia affirmed.
By highlighting that the BCCI is simply implementing government directives, Saikia made it clear that opposing the board’s decision is effectively opposing a national policy, not just a cricketing choice.
The message: outrage may resonate emotionally at home, but India’s global commitments cannot be compromised without severe repercussions.
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