'I feel that it should be left to the government to decide, but at the same time, it should not be selective'
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi has voiced her concerns over the BCCI’s announcement of India’s squad for the Asia Cup Cricket 2025, which features a match against Pakistan.
The remarks follow Pakistan’s withdrawal from the Hockey Asia Cup hosted in India.
Taking to her official X handle, Chaturvedi expressed her disapproval, saying, "While Pakistan Hockey team snubbed the Asia Cup Hockey matches hosted in India, our BCCI is super keen to keep the cricket match between the two going by announcing the India Team for Asia Cricket Cup. Can't imagine the betrayal the families of those who lost their loved ones in Pahalgam must feel."
With India set to face Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025, former Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia weighed in, stating that the decision on whether the two nations should compete against each other in sporting events must rest with the Government of India. However, he emphasised that such a stance should apply across all sports and not just cricket.
"I feel that it should be left to the government to decide, but at the same time, it should not be selective. If they are not playing cricket between India and Pakistan, they should not be playing any other sport as well," Bhutia said.
He added that clarity from the government would help avoid confusion across different disciplines.
"I think it has to be a stand by the government of India to decide whether any sport, including cricket, has to be played or not. I would support and appreciate any call the government takes, but it should not be only exclusively for a particular sport," he explained.
While Pakistan pulled out of the Hockey Asia Cup citing security concerns, the BCCI has gone ahead with finalising India's squad for the cricket tournament, which could see the arch-rivals face each other.
"Why isn't Pakistan coming? Why are they not participating? This is not clear to us," Hockey India Secretary General and Asian Hockey Federation vice president Bhola Nath Singh said.
"If they are citing security concerns, I can confidently say that security and all the arrangements in India are much better than in Pakistan," he added.
Singh, however, stressed that India's focus remains on successfully hosting the tournament and extending a warm welcome to all participating teams.
"Who is coming and who is not coming, we don't care about that. Whoever has qualified, whoever is coming, we welcome everyone to India," he noted.
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