 "'Every ball an insult to fallen soldiers': Boycott calls intensify ahead of India-Pakistan Asia Cup clash")
The hour has finally arrived. India and Pakistan are set to face each other later this evening, with players expected to leave their respective hotels and make their way to the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. It was at this very venue where the two arch-rivals had faced off in their ICC Champions Trophy Group A match, in which Virat Kohli slammed yet another century in a winning cause, setting up a comfortable six- wicket victory for the Men in Blue.
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The situation, however, couldn’t be more different in the build-up to their Asia Cup Group A match. And it’s not just due to the change in format from ODI to T20I, as well as the absence of key names such as Kohli and Rohit Sharma on the Indian side, or Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in Pakistan.
Ind-Pak clash taking place under the shadow of war and terrorism
The match, after all, will be taking place less than half-a-year after diplomatic relations between New Delhi and Islamabad hit rock bottom following the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which then led to a military response from India codenamed ‘Operation Sindoor’.
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The Pahalgam attack and the subsequent armed conflict between the two nuclear powers led to speculations of the Asia Cup getting called off this year. The Board of Control for Cricket in India had, additionally, been advised by former cricketers as well as Indian cricket fans to sever all cricketing ties with Pakistan, against whom India has not played a bilateral series since January 2013.
The BCCI, however, gave their nod of approval not just for the continental tournament to go ahead but for India and Pakistan to be grouped together as usual. And it wasn’t just the board, with the Government of India and the Supreme Court also voicing their support for the Asia Cup showdown between the two nations to go ahead.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsBoycott trends continue to dominate social media
After revisiting boycott calls for the Indo-Pakistani match from former cricketers and politicians who are part of the Opposition in the build-up to the upcoming match, we take a look at similar messages from social media users.
Also Read | BCCI officials likely to skip high-voltage India vs Pakistan clash amid boycott calls
Here are select reactions:
🚫 Let them play, but let’s not watch.#BoycottIndoPakMatch #India#IndianCricket #INDvsPAKMatch pic.twitter.com/ytIUkOaL3d
— Himanshu Jain (@HemanNamo) September 13, 2025
No one is bigger than country. #INDv #AsiaCup2025 #indiancricket pic.twitter.com/apyWo6BXFt
— Rishikesh Patel (@rishipatel23) September 13, 2025
#BoycottAsiaCup #BoycottINDvPAK
— jayaa 💜🩵 (@Jayaa2012) September 12, 2025
Can we, as a nation, collectively boycott the India vs Pakistan match in the Asia Cup?
If BCCI cannot do it, but as a nation we can
Jay Hind🫡🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/a9EC06jSai
Pahalgam drenched in blood, soldiers martyred, civilians killed — yet BCCI pushes cricket with Pakistan? SHAME!
— Manni (@ThadhaniManish_) September 13, 2025
Asia Cup isn’t above our martyrs.
Jay Shah must answer the nation.
Boycott India vs Pakistan cricket match!#BoycottAsiaCup #BoycottINDvPAK pic.twitter.com/UEoYCMPFq4
In respect of those who lost their lives in the Pahalgam attack, and standing with my Indian brothers and sisters, I fully support the boycott of the India vs Pakistan match.
— Pathan Bhai (@PathanBhaiii) September 13, 2025
if you agree than join this trend and retweet.#BoycottINDvPAK pic.twitter.com/XVDkrdJBfq
Government 1st & then the BCCI, they are responsible. Before blaming & abusing the players ask the right questions to the Govt, policy makers & the BCCI. There is no criteria,ranking, draws, nothing so what’s stopping us from being in different groups at the first place#Boycott
— Manoj Dimri (@manoj_dimri) September 14, 2025
Every ball against Pakistan is an insult to our fallen soldiers.
— IndiaWarMonitor (@IndiaWarMonitor) September 13, 2025
National pride is bigger than a cricket match. #BycottAsiaCuppic.twitter.com/SNSmYz8Yb5
Not that anyone cares. I've never missed India versus Pakistan cricket match. Government may take any number of U turns it want. When blood and water cannot flow together, how government justifies playing cricket with Pakistan. Pahalgam terror attack and Operations Sindoor are…
— D.Muthukrishnan (@dmuthuk) September 14, 2025
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