Thursday, September 11, the Supreme Court of India denied a plea asking the cancellation of the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 match. The match will be hosted on the 14th of September in the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
The urgency of the plea was disposed off by the bench headed by Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi. They were not convinced about the reasons to fasten track the hearing and asked what was to be done so near the match.
“What is the urgency? It’s a match, let it be. Match is this Sunday, what can be done? Match is this Sunday? What can we do about that? Let it be. Match should go on,” the bench remarked, according to Daily Mirror Online.
Petition Highlights National Sentiments Post-Pahalgam Attack
Urvashi Jain and three other law students started the plea. They stated that it would be insensitive to conduct the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 match that close to the Pahalgam terror attack and the Operation Sindoor.
“Cricket between nations is meant to show harmony and friendship. But after the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, when our people died and our soldiers risked everything, playing with Pakistan sent the opposite message that while our soldiers are sacrificing their lives, we are celebrating sports with the same country sheltering terrorists,” the petitioners stated.
They indicated that such a match would be damaging to the feelings of the bereaved families and would amount to lack of respect to the dignity and pride of the nation. The argument in the plea claimed that national interests and morale must come first before entertainment.
Criticism of BCCI’s Role in India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025
There were also grave concerns that were brought up in the petition about the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI). It alleged that the BCCI is acting like a nation within a nation and is not attached to any national crisis and tragedies.
The plea pointed out that the BCCI is not a National Sports Federation under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025. Rather, it claimed that the BCCI ought to be under the National Sports Board so as to be held accountable at sensitive times.
“Our armed forces have been carrying out day & night search operations fighting the infiltrators from Pakistan, our soldiers are sacrificing their lives and citizens too falling prey to the bullets of Pakistan-sponsored terrorists,” the petition highlighted.
Supreme Court’s Decision: Match Set to Continue
Although the emotional and political appeals were used, the Supreme Court did not listen to the call of an urgent hearing. The bench was adamant in its stand that the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 match ought to go on as planned.
The move will pave the way to one of the most high-profile cricketing matches in a tense political environment. The case strengthens the notion that sporting events should proceed regardless of political contentions according to the position of Supreme Court.
The match is a symbol of great rivalry and national pride as India and Pakistan prepare to clash in Dubai and this is attracting huge attendance of fans as well as critics. Asia Cup 2025 will proceed, both with expectation and controversy.
