Asia Cup 2025, IND Vs PAK: Harbhajan Singh Calls For Boycott Of India Vs Pakistan Matches, Urges Media Cooperation

Asia Cup 2025, IND vs PAK: Former World Cup winner Harbhajan Singh has urged the Indian national cricket team to boycott their upcoming matches against Pakistan in the Asia Cup amid rising cross-border tensions between the neighbouring countries. In an interview with The Times of India, Harbhajan questioned the BCCI’s decision to proceed with fixtures involving India and Pakistan in the upcoming tournament.

“They (BCCI) need to understand what is important and what is not. This is as simple as that,” Harbhajan told TOI. “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 (boycott) is a very small thing, that we can’t skip playing one cricket match. It’s a very small matter,” he added.

Relations between India and Pakistan have been at an all-time low following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam and India’s subsequent cross-border retaliation, termed ‘Operation Sindoor’.

India have not played any bilateral series with Pakistan since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, but recent tensions have resulted in calls for India to boycott Pakistan even in multi-nation tournaments like the Asia Cup and World Cup.

“Our government has the same stance that blood and water cannot flow together. It cannot be the case that there’s fighting on the border, tensions between the two nations, and we go to play cricket,” Harbhajan added. “Until these big issues are resolved, cricket is a very small matter. The nation always comes first.”

Although India had the hosting rights for the Asia Cup 2025, the matches will be hosted in the UAE. This is due to a deal signed between the BCCI and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), whereby matches involving both sides will be played at a neutral venue. Given the short duration of the Asia Cup, India decided to host the entire tournament in the UAE.

The Asia Cup 2025 is set to begin on 9 September, with the final on 28 September. Both India and Pakistan have been drawn in the same group, with their first match scheduled for 14 September. If both sides progress to the later stages, India and Pakistan can meet two more times in the tournament.

Harbhajan Singh Asks Media Boycott Of Pakistan Cricket

Other than calling upon the Indian cricketers to boycott their Pakistani counterparts, Harbhajan also called upon the Indian media to stop giving media coverage to the issue.

“Are they (Pakistan) that important? Are they that important that every news channel has to give weightage to them?” the off-spinner said. “As I said, cricketers shouldn't be shaking hands with the Pakistan players, but the media shouldn't be showing them and their reactions on television, either.”