(Image Credit: ACC via X)
South Asia is a place where politics and sport are prone to mingle and even intermingle. As of now India calls to boycott and the buildup of political tensions before the India vs Pakistan match in Asia Cup 2025, many have questioned, Does Pakistan ever boycott a match with India in the Asia Cup? The brief answer is yes but once and in the year 1990.
In 1990, during the Asia cup that was hosted in India, Pakistan decided to boycott the event. The cause, poor political relationship between both countries at the moment. There was no need to hold the tournament without them as a result of their absence. India took advantage of this and ended up winning the trophy defeating Sri Lanka by the final in Kolkata. It is also related, yet different, when India pulled out of an Asia Cup not Pakistan. The tournament was to be held in 1986 in Sri Lanka. But with civil war in Sri Lanka, the BCCI (Board of Control Cricket in India) were ordered to withdraw with the involvement of the Government of India. Consequently, India did not take part and Sri Lanka ultimately ended up being the trophy holders in the absence of India. There is no recorded instance in the history of Asia Cup when Pakistan had refused or boycotted a match in particular against India other than in 1990. All the other editions have had the India vs Pakistan match anytime the two teams took part.
Therefore, the historic precedent is highly restricted in today debates or discourses, i.e. when calling to boycott, having symbolic protests, or political pressure. One previous example in 1990 where Pakistan neither entered the tournament at all. However, most of the existing pressure is now taking a new form social media, popular opinion, etc. Understanding the past enables one to put it into perspective, although sports and politics have conflicting histories, in reality withdrawing has been an uncommon practice.
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