Will India make a statement by boycotting Pakistan at Asia Cup? ‘Following BCCI…’ says assistant coach

Politicians, former cricketers and even a proportionate amount of the Indian public are against India playing Pakistan in the Asia Cup in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack.

In 1974, India forfeited the Davis Cup final against South Africa to protest against their government’s apartheid policies. More than 50 years later, will India do something similar? Will the Indian team boycott Pakistan at the 2025 Asia Cup as a sign of protest for waging a terror war for decades?

India won’t boycott Pakistan at Asia Cup

The public sentiment seems to be tilting towards refusing to take the field at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on September 14. But will that happen? India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate denies the possibility of India boycotting Pakistan. He understands athletes can fight for a cause, but some choose to keep politics out of sports. The former batter says Team India will play against Pakistan in such a manner that will be the apt representation of the country.

“You are spot on and cited some great examples (of athletes using sports to protest). The other side of the argument is that you separate sports and politics. People have different opinions on that. Hopefully, the way we play (against Pakistan) can represent how the players feel about the country,” Ryan told reporters in Dubai.

Doeschate indirectly stated that players don’t have any say in what happens. The Indian government had given the green signal to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to play against India. The decision was taken to ensure that world sports bodies don’t take any action against Indian sports federations, but won’t play any bilateral sports against Pakistan.

“I understand the position and the sentiment. But we are following the direction of what the BCCI and the Indian government have decided is right for the country at the moment,” he added.

Reports have suggested that BCCI will ‘invisibly boycott’ Pakistan at the Asia Cup. Usually, officials travel to watch high-octane matches like the India vs Pakistan game, but this time around, the board won’t do so. BCCI interim President Rajiv Shukla, who is a member of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), will be the only official who’ll likely attend the match.