Asia Cup 2025: List of cricketers who spoke on boycotting IND vs PAK match

The India-Pakistan clash in the Asia Cup 2025 has received numerous calls for a boycott ahead of the game in Dubai. The debate has been fuelled by the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where 26 civilians were brutally killed on the basis of their religious orientation.

The wife of one of the victims who lost his life in the attack is urging people to boycott the match, saying watching India play Pakistan is an insult to the victims’ memory. In Maharashtra, a political party has stood to fight against the issue, arguing that the Indian government refusing to play against Pakistan is an opportunity to send a global message against terrorism.

Meanwhile, the BCCI has defended its decision. Secretary Devajit Saikia explained that, unlike bilateral cricket, where India has cut all ties with Pakistan, multilateral tournaments leave no room for unilateral boycotts without risking players’ careers and India’s sporting reputation. Former union sports minister and ex-BCCI president Anurag Thakur stressed that bilateral cricket remains off-limits, but multilateral events require participation.

5. Yograj Singh:

Former India cricketer and Yuvraj Singh’s father, Yograj Singh, stated that Pakistan cannot compete with India and credited the IPL for elevating Indian cricket both financially and professionally. Yograj further urged Pakistan to rebuild its cricketing system with a vision similar to that of Imran Khan, who backed struggling players during the 1992 World Cup win. 

"As far as Pakistan is concerned, what will it do? It cannot compete with India. Since the IPL came to India, Indian players have become very big. Why? To get money. There is money here. It is a good thing. There should be money. Why not? Players should get money. Where there is money, there is prosperity. There is no match between Pakistan and India. It is not possible. Because the platform they play on is clay. And the sky is where we play cricket. The sky and the ground have never met. It is not possible. I think Pakistan should develop its own team and its own people. Just like we think about our players, Pakistan should also think about them. Imran Khan brought players who were struggling with poverty and backed them to play. That is why they won the World Cup. They need a thought process like Imran Khan," he said as quoted by Times Now.