The former football captain urged the Indian government to take a decision across all the sports that are played between the two countries, and not just cricket. The Asia Cup 2025 tournament will kick off on September 9, with the first game scheduled to be played between Afghanistan and Hong Kong at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium
Bhaichung Bhutia (Pic: File Pic)
Team India is set to lock horns with Pakistan in Asia Cup 2025 on September 14. Ahead of the scheduled clash, former Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia said that the decision on whether India should play against Pakistan should be left to the government.
"I feel that it should be left to the government to decide, but at the same time, it should not be selective. If they are not playing cricket between India and Pakistan, they should not be playing any other sport as well," Bhutia said.
Further, he also urged the Indian government to take a decision across all the sports that are played between the two countries, and not just cricket.
"I think it has to be a stand by the government of India to decide whether any sport, including cricket, has to be played or not. I would support and appreciate any call the government takes, but it should not be only exclusively for a particular sport," he explained.
Asia Cup 2025 will kick off on September 9, with the first game scheduled to be played between Afghanistan and Hong Kong at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
The 'Men in Blue' will begin their campaign against the UAE on September 10 at the Dubai International Stadium.
The Suryakumar Yadav-led Team India will play their final group stage match against Oman on September 19.
After the group stage, the tournament will proceed to the Super 4, where the top two teams from each group will qualify. If India finishes at the top of Group A, then all of their Super 4 matches will be held in Dubai. If India finishes second, then one of their Super 4 clashes will be held in Abu Dhabi and the remaining two in Dubai. The Super 4 stage will run from September 20 to 26. Dubai will host the final, which is scheduled for September 28.
India's squad for Asia Cup 2025: Surya Kumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (WK), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh
Reserve players: Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal.
(With ANI Inputs)
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