The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) seems to "invisibly" boycott Sunday's much-expected Asia Cup 2025 encounter between India and Pakistan.
According to a report by Dainik Jagran, the majority of BCCI officials are unlikely to witness the game in Dubai, even though India has officially hosted the event.
The Asia Cup matches were relocated to the UAE due to increased political tensions between the two countries after the Pahalgam terror attacks. In the report, not a single BCCI representative has arrived in Dubai, and only one official is likely to be present at the stadium on match day.
The move is said to be taking place in the wake of a "boycott campaign" in India, with numerous fans expressing their dissatisfaction at the game against Pakistan. Diplomatic relations between the nations were strained after the terror attack, prompting some fans to complain about India being pitted against Pakistan on the cricket pitch.
In the Champions Trophy encounter a few months ago in Dubai, senior BCCI officials and members of other state cricket associations were there at the stadium. Here, however, things are different as BCCI officials are said to be concerned about a possible backlash.
The report said that Rajiv Shukla could be there in the match as an Asian Cricket Council (ACC) representative, but the return of ICC Chairman Jay Shah or BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia appears extremely unlikely.
India comes into the game as a heavy favourite on the field, PTI reports. With the T20 World Cup due in India in four months' time, the match has added relevance. But for the first time in years, a high-profile India-Pakistan game, which is set for a Sunday, does not have the high-voltage narrative that usually comes with such matches.
The Indian team is equipped with hitters in the form of Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, and Abhishek Sharma, fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, and spinners of the like of Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy. On paper, the Indians are much stronger than Pakistan, who are yet to adjust under new skipper Salman Ali Agha.
T20 cricket is always full of surprises, of course, but the odds are against an upset against this powerful Indian team.
Pakistan will bank on stars such as opener Saim Ayub, middle-order batman Hasan Nawaz, and the spin trio of Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeen, and Mohammed Nawaz to deliver. The side, rebuilt with an aim to cut dependence on Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, will be eager to make its mark in this reshuffled unit.
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