Former Pakistan batsman Basit Ali has made a rousing and scathing prediction of the approaching India vs Pakistan game on September 14 at the Asia Cup, calling it a joke. These comments were made because of his frustrations about the repeated restructuring of central contracts as affected by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). He pointed to a number of high profile demotions most notably changing the stars, such as Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, to Category B athletes. In the interim, other performers including Abrar Ahmed and Haris Rauf were improved. Even the Test captain Shan Masood and the fast bowler Naseem Shah were demoted.
What did Basit Ali say?
On his YouTube talk program, Game Time, Basit Ali criticised the contract overhaul as a joke. He further carried the metaphor further and said that he had a cheeky joke waiting when there is an India vs Pakistan match on September 14. ‘Ek mazaak hoga’, This can be put simply as that the match would be farcical just as the PCBs recent administrative choices are, at least so said he.
It is against this backdrop that the Asia Cup 2025 which is to be staged in the UAE between September 9 to 28 is already surrounded by the raging controversies. India and Pakistan are paired in Group A and their battle is scheduled to take place on September 14 at Dubai.
Being a high stakes match, the game is margined with doubled drama. Wasim Akram, the greatest Pakistani fast bowler, has weighed in asking all to stay out of politics in sport and stating that, the game has to continue regardless of the tensions.
Aaditya Thackeray on BCCI
At the same time, Indian political voices have protested as well. Aaditya Thackeray lambasted the board of control in cricket in India as it failed to work in the interest of the country over its financial benefits. He referred to it as a joke to warrant the match on the rules of Africa Cup since there was tension between the countries. With the Asia up coming it is not only cricket enthusiasts who will listen to watch the tournament, it is also a mirror image of existing tensions in sports management, nationalism and political responsibility.
Also Read: Asia Cup 2025: Sunil Gavaskar Blasts BCCI Over India-Pakistan Clash, Says ‘Players Are Helpless’
