Skip to content

“If There Are No Bilateral Matches, Why Play in Multination Events?”: Azharuddin on India-Pakistan Asia Cup Clash

Former India captain Mohammed Azharuddin has given his opinion on the highly anticipated India-Pakistan fixture in the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025, which is scheduled for September 14 in the UAE. The tournament will take place from September 9 to 28 and, for the first time, will feature eight teams — India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong.

Discussing the politics surrounding cricket between the two nations, Azharuddin questioned the current approach of avoiding bilateral series while still competing in tournaments like the Asia Cup. “I always say that everything should happen, or if it does not happen, then it should not happen at all. If you’re not playing bilateral matches, then you shouldn’t play international events too, that’s what I believe. But whatever the government and the board decide will happen,” he said.

Azharuddin also clarified the controversy regarding senior Indian players opting out of the privately run World Championship of Legends (WCL) matches against Pakistan. He stressed that the veterans’ competition is not sanctioned by the ICC or BCCI, unlike the Asia Cup, which is overseen by the Asian Cricket Council.

The 2025 Asia Cup will begin with Afghanistan taking on Hong Kong on September 9. India will open their campaign against UAE on September 10, followed by the blockbuster clash against Pakistan on September 14 and a final group-stage encounter against Oman on September 19. The top two teams from each group will move to the Super 4 phase, with the tournament final scheduled for September 28 in the UAE.

ACC President Mohsin Naqvi has called this edition the “marquee event of Asian cricket,” pointing out the expansion from six to eight teams and its importance in showcasing emerging cricketing nations.

Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly also shared his view on the India-Pakistan match, saying that while political issues and security concerns cannot be ignored, cricket should continue. “The sport must go on. At the same time, terrorism must not happen; it needs to be stopped. India took a strong stance towards terrorism… Sport needs to be played,” Ganguly remarked.

The tournament will follow the neutral-venue arrangement agreed upon by the BCCI and PCB, ensuring that India-Pakistan games are played outside both countries. This arrangement was previously applied during the Champions Trophy earlier this year, where India played all their matches in Dubai and went on to lift the title. India also enter this edition as defending champions, having won the 2023 Asia Cup in Sri Lanka.

Get every cricket update! Follow us on

follow google news   follow telegram