India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025: Boycott calls get louder - Who is saying what

On the eve of the heavily anticipated India–Pakistan clash in the Asia Cup 2025, calls for a boycott have intensified, with political leaders, victims’ families, and even former cricketers voicing anger over the timing of the match. The fixture comes less than five months after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.

Both India and Pakistan come on the back off dominant wins in their opening games and will face off at the Dubai International Stadium at 8:00PM IST on Sunday.

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AAP Leaders

AAP leaders staged a protest in Delhi, burning a Pakistan-labelled effigy. Former Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj declared, “Indian government is making cricketers play with such disgusting people who wiped our sisters' sindoor. We'll expose all the clubs and restaurants in Delhi that telecast India-Pakistan matches.”

Shiv Sena (UBT)

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray cited the Prime Minister’s earlier remarks on the Indus Water Treaty and questioned the double standards. “How can war and cricket be at the same time? They have made a business out of patriotism. They just want money,” he said. Party MP Priyanka Chaturvedi went further, insisting, “Pakistan cricketers were humiliating us and Operation Sindoor on their social media...We do not want to play against Pakistan till Pakistani players stop supporting terrorists.”

Congress

Congress too joined the criticism. MP Imran Masood alleged that profit was being placed above pain. “It is business. There is excitement in India-Pakistan matches. Tickets are being sold at high prices. They do not care that our sisters' Sindoor has been destroyed. These people are busy making money in the name of cricket. Our sisters' families were destroyed, and they are going to play cricket with Pakistanis. The government should be ashamed,” he said.

Victims' families

One of the most scathing and stinging comments came from victims’ families. Aishanya Dwivedi, whose husband Shubham was among those killed in Pahalgam, said, “It seems that BCCI has no feelings for those 26 people who died in Pahalgam. They don't value it because no one from their family died. Why are the cricketers playing with Pakistan? Players can also take their stand.”
The relatives of Shubham Dwivedi, a Kanpur businessman killed in the attack, called the match “an insult” to those who lost their lives. His wife Aishanya said, “The Indian Cricket Control Board has forgotten my husband's sacrifice in just a few months...Sponsors are promoting it excessively, crossing all limits...Do you want the revenue generated by this match to be used by Pakistan for terrorism against India? I urge everyone to boycott this match and, if possible, not watch it.”

Manoj Tiwary

Former India cricketer and West Bengal Sports Minister Manoj Tiwary announced his own protest. “I am boycotting the India vs Pakistan match as well as Asia Cup because I cannot watch this. It needs to be understood that this is just a sport; this is not life. We are comparing human lives to sports; this should never be done,” he said, adding that only those who lose loved ones in terror attacks understand the pain.

What did the BJP say?

The ruling BJP, however, has maintained that participation in multinational tournaments is unavoidable. Union minister Anurag Thakur clarified, “When multinational tournaments are organised by the ACC or the ICC, it becomes a compulsion, a necessity for nations to participate. If they don't, they will be eliminated from the tournament, they will have to forfeit the match, and the other team will get the points. But India doesn't play bilateral tournaments with Pakistan.”

With calls for a boycott only increasing in intensity, the clash between the two sides will be one of the most intense and heavily discussed match-ups in recent times.

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