Ex-cricketer questions BCCI over India-Pakistan fixtures in Asia Cup: 'Especially after the terrorist attack…’

Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary slammed the BCCI for giving its nod of approval to Men in Blue being placed in the same group as arch-rivals Pakistan at this year’s Asia Cup. The continental event, after all, will be taking place in the UAE in September, months after a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that preceded a military conflict between the two nuclear-armed nations.

The terror attack as well as the subsequent conflict had led to speculations that the Asia Cup, which was scheduled to be hosted by India in the T20 format this year, would ultimately be called off. The event, however, sprung back to life after the Asian Cricket Council meeting in Dhaka last week, which was attended virtually by BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla.

And with India and Pakistan being placed in Group A along with Oman and UAE, there is a possibility of the two nations potentially meeting each other thrice during the course of the event.

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‘India-Pakistan match should not happen in such an environment’

“I am against it. The India-Pakistan match should not be held. Especially after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam in which civilians have been killed. After that, Operation Sindoor has taken place,” Tiwary, who is a Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sport, told news agency ANI.

“The situation was so bad, how can we think of an India-Pakistan match. I feel that it should be considered again and the India-Pakistan match should not happen in such an environment. Our Prime Minister is saying that the Operation Sindoor is still going on… How can we play a match with Pakistan?” the former Bengal captain added.

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India and Pakistan have also been put in the same group by the International Cricket Council in next year’s Women’s T20 World Cup in England.

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The two nations were also scheduled to face each other twice in the ongoing World Championship of Legends, a tournament that features retired cricketers in England.

However, the Yuvraj Singh-led India Champions boycotted both of their fixtures against Pakistan Champions, including the semi-finals that was scheduled to take place on Thursday. The Pakistanis, thus, progressed to the final for the second consecutive time, at the cost of the defending champions.