Former Indian cricket captain and ex-BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has voiced his support for the eagerly awaited India-Pakistan match in the Asia Cup 2025, underscoring that cricket should continue despite political challenges and tragic incidents. In an interview on Sunday, Ganguly maintained that events like the recent Pahalgam attack, though deeply distressing, must not stop the game from going forward.
The Asia Cup, scheduled to begin on September 9 in the UAE, will see India and Pakistan face off in Group A alongside UAE and Oman. Ganguly highlighted the importance of keeping such matches alive to foster continuity in sports relations, even while India maintains its firm stance against terrorism. He stressed the need to look forward, with cricket acting as a unifying force.
Pakistan will begin their tournament campaign against Oman on September 12, followed by the high-stakes India-Pakistan fixture on September 14. Should both teams advance to the Super Four stage, a second showdown is also expected on September 21. The tournament culminates with the final scheduled for September 28.
The Asia Cup serves as a lead-up to the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, which India and Sri Lanka will co-host, adding further significance to the tournament and the India-Pakistan rivalry at its heart. Ganguly’s remarks reinforce the ongoing belief that sport can and should rise above political and social divisions.