Pakistan match to be boycotted? Widow of Pahalgam terror attack victim blasts Indian cricket

Aishanya Dwivedi, widow of a man killed in the recent Pahalgam terror attack, has condemned the upcoming India-Pakistan Asia Cup clash and urged all stakeholders to boycott it. Accusing organisers of not looking at the grief of families who lost loved ones, Dwivedi criticised the BCCI for agreeing to the fixture. “BCCI should not have accepted a match between India and Pakistan. I think BCCI is not sentimental towards those 26 families,” she told ANI. She also raised a question towards the silence of Indian cricket players. “What are our cricketers doing? Cricketers are said to be nationalists. Except for 1-2 cricket players, nobody stepped forward to say that we should boycott the match against Pakistan. BCCI cannot make them play at gunpoint. They should take a stand for their country. But they are not doing it.”“I would like to ask the sponsors and broadcasters if their nationality for those 26 families is finished? What will the revenue from the match be used for? Pakistan will use this just for terrorism. That is a terrorist nation. You will provide them with revenue and prepare them to attack us once again. I cannot understand this,” she added. She also sent out a strong appeal to cricket fans, urging them to take their own stand and not play any part, even by watching the game that is set to happen on Sunday. “Don’t switch on your TVs. Don’t give them the numbers. Boycott this match.”Watch her emotional appeal to fans and the BCCI here The India-Pakistan game in Dubai on Sunday will be the first since the Pahalgam attack and carries added political weight. Some political parties and former cricketers have called for a boycott, while the BCCI has faced criticism for agreeing to play against Pakistan. India captain Suryakumar Yadav recently came under scrutiny after being photographed with PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi during the trophy launch. Naqvi is also the Asian Cricket Council president and Pakistan’s federal interior minister. Despite the controversy, India’s camp has stayed focused. “The players are focused on cricket. They aren’t thinking about anything else,” batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said. “Once the BCCI aligns with the government, our job is to prepare and play.” The Supreme Court, meanwhile, declined to urgently hear a plea seeking to halt the match.