Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly has said he has no objection to India being grouped with Pakistan in the upcoming Asia Cup, adding that while terrorism must be condemned, sport must continue.
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) recently unveiled the highly anticipated schedule for the Men’s Asia Cup 2025, confirming that arch-rivals Pakistan and India will lock horns on September 14 in the UAE.
Speaking to Indian news outlet ANI, Ganguly said: “I’m okay with the schedule. Sport must continue. What happened in Pahalgam should never happen, but we can’t let that stop the game. Terrorism must end. It’s in the past now. Sport must go on.”
According to reports, India, as the official host of the tournament, cannot withdraw from the Asia Cup or refuse to play against Pakistan.
During a recent ACC meeting held in Dhaka, BCCI reportedly gave a nod to proceed as planned, effectively ruling out the possibility of a boycott.
Citing sources, reports suggest that following the BCCI’s formal approval, withdrawing from either the tournament or the high-profile fixture against Pakistan is no longer a viable option.
“The BCCI cannot withdraw from the tournament or the match now. The decision was agreed upon after the ACC meeting. Since India is the host nation, nothing can be changed at this stage. An official-level discussion took place, and the outcome was decided accordingly. The match will go ahead as scheduled,” BCCI sources were quoted as saying on Sunday.
Notably, the BCCI has not issued any statements suggesting a boycott — either during or after the meeting, or since the release of the official schedule.
Indian media outlets criticised their own cricket board and government, with renewed calls to boycott the Pakistan match — drawing parallels with similar sentiments expressed during the World Champions League.
The eight-team tournament will start on September 9 with a curtain-raiser between Afghanistan and Hong Kong.
This edition of the continental event will follow the T20 format, serving as a crucial warm-up ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
Pakistan, on the other hand, will begin their campaign against Oman on September 12, whereas its final group-stage match is scheduled for September 17 against the UAE.
