The Indian government has clarified its position on sporting relations between India and Pakistan, since the India-Pakistan match for the 2019 Asia Cup has been approved. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports published a public statement outlining their position on the topic.
The government announced that India will not compete in bilateral contests with Pakistan; nevertheless, the teams will participate in multi-nation events that include Pakistan. However, it is unclear whether Indian athletes will participate in Pakistani-hosted events.
The statement comes fewer than three weeks from the commencement of the Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
The arch-rivals are scheduled to take on each other on September 14 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
As per the fixtures, there is a possibility of at least two more meetings between the two teams apart from the group-stage fixture, provided the teams qualify for the subsequent stages (Super Four and the final). Meanwhile, this will be the first time India will be facing Pakistan since the terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of several people.
“In so far as bilateral sports events in each other’s country are concerned, Indian teams will not be participating in competitions in Pakistan. Nor will we permit Pakistani teams to play in India. With regard to international and multilateral events, in India or abroad, we are guided by the practices of international sports bodies and the interest of our own sportspersons. It is also relevant to take into account India’s emergence as a credible venue to host international sports events,” read the statement released by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
The Board of Cricket for Control in India and the Pakistan Cricket Board have agreed on a hybrid model for all remaining ICC events in the 2024-27 cycle. As per the arrangement, both the countries will only play at neutral venues. The first instance of this was observed in the 2025 Champions Trophy, where the Men in Blue played their matches, including the final, in the UAE.
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