Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has urged the national team to skip their Asia Cup 2025 fixture against Pakistan, citing the ongoing border tensions between the two countries.
Speaking to TimesofIndia.com, Harbhajan insisted that “nation comes first” and a cricket match should never be prioritised over the sacrifices made by soldiers.
“Khoon aur paani ek saath nahi beh sakte. Hum unko itni importance kyun dete hain? [Why do we give them so much importance?]” Harbhajan said when asked about India facing Pakistan in the tournament, which is set to be hosted in the UAE from September 9.
Harbhajan was part of the recent World Championship of Legends (WCL), where the India Champions refused to play against the Pakistan Champions in both the group stage and semi-final. That decision came in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack earlier this year.
“They need to understand what is important and what is not. For me, humare desh ka wo jawan jo sarhad par khada hua hai… unki itni badi sacrifice hoti hai hum sabke liye. Toh ye to bahut chhoti si baat hai ki hum ek cricket match na chhod sakein,” he said.
India are drawn in Group A alongside Oman, UAE, and Pakistan, while Group B features Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, and Sri Lanka. The defending champions, India lifted their eighth Asia Cup title last edition in 2023 after beating Sri Lanka by 10 wickets in the final.
Harbhajan also called on the media to stop giving visibility to Pakistan. “Hum unko itni importance kyun dete hain? Are they that important…? This is the duty of the media – to stop this. They shouldn’t be adding fuel to the fire,” he remarked.
The 43-year-old believes until core political and security issues are resolved, sporting ties should remain suspended. “Whatever our identity is, it’s because of this country… Cricket match na khelna bahut maamuli si cheez hai desh ke saamne,” he concluded.
Whether the Suryakumar Yadav-led side will follow Harbhajan’s call remains to be seen, but his stance has reignited the long-running debate over cricketing ties between the two nations.
Last month in July, a BCCI source revealed to IANS that BCCI cannot call-off the match as it was agreed upon after the ACC meeting.
“The BCCI cannot withdraw from the tournament or the match now. The decision was agreed upon after the ACC meeting. Since India is the host nation, nothing can be changed at this stage. An official-level discussion took place, and the outcome was decided accordingly. The match will go ahead as scheduled,” the insider told.