India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 clash on the cards as Hockey team gets green signal
Published - 03 Jul 2025, 06:12 PM | Updated - 03 Jul 2025, 11:43 PM
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Hopes of an India vs Pakistan cricket clash in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 have been reignited after a senior sports ministry official confirmed that Pakistan's hockey teams will be allowed to participate in two major events in India, and they are the Asia Cup and the Junior World Cup.
The Asia Cup for Hockey is scheduled to be held in Bihar’s Rajgir from August 27 to September 7, while the junior World Cup is scheduled to be held in Chennai and Madurai from November 28 to December 10. If the plans go ahead, it would mark Pakistan’s first visit to India since Operation Sindoor amid the cross-border tensions.
India vs Pakistan in Asia Cup 2025? BCCI yet to reach Sports Ministry
The source from India’s sports ministry revealed that the BCCI has not yet made any official request regarding the Men in Blue’s participation in the upcoming Asia Cup T20 2025 against Pakistan. The sports ministry is expected to take a call once the BCCI formally approaches them for the same.
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As reported by PTI, the source stated, “The BCCI is yet to reach out to the ministry on this. We will address this query when they approach us.”
Meanwhile, India and Pakistan have not played a full bilateral series for nearly 20 years, and even their matches in multi-nation tournaments became uncertain after the Pahalgam terror attack in April, where 26 tourists lost their lives and led to military war between the two nations.
India vs Pakistan clash likely in Asia Cup 2025, but no chance of a bilateral series
However, a senior official has made it clear that India will not stop Pakistan from taking part in any global or continental events held in the country because they can’t go against international sporting rules, including those in the Olympic Charter.
That means an India vs Pakistan clash in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 is on the cards, with the BCCI not denying participation in the tournament.
Having said that, the official clarified that there will be no relaxation when it comes to bilateral cricketing series with Pakistan. He insisted that India and Pakistan can only participate in the Asia Cup or the World Cups, but a bilateral series between the two nations remains off the table.
The source added, “We are not against any team competing in India in a multinational competition. If we try to stop Pakistan, it would be seen as a violation of the Olympic Charter. But bilateral is different, and there will be no relaxation on that front.”
India can’t block Pakistan from playing in the country!!
Meanwhile, the official from the sports ministry has said that stopping Pakistan’s hockey team from playing in India would go against the Olympic Charter, which works like the rulebook of the global sports events. It promotes using sports to build peace and cooperation between countries.
If a host country like India tries to block a rival nation from taking part in a multi-nation tournament, it could hurt its chances of hosting future international events. So, allowing Pakistan to participate in the multi-nation games is not just about fair play, but it also protects India's global reputation.
The source signed off by saying, “International sports demands that we cannot back out from competing in multinational competitions. Take, for instance, Russia and Ukraine; they are at war, but they show up at multinational events and compete as well.”
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