India’s Sports Ministry has confirmed that the Indian cricket team will compete in the upcoming Asia Cup, set to begin in the United Arab Emirates on September 9. However, the ministry also announced the continuation of its policy preventing bilateral series between India and Pakistan, citing political tensions. This marks the ongoing policy that restricts Indian athletes from visiting Pakistan and vice versa for bilateral events, although multi-lateral engagements like the Asia Cup will proceed.
Source: Sport Star
The Indian government’s Sports Ministry has outlined a new policy affecting its international engagements, particularly in relation to Pakistan. This “unprecedented” policy, effective immediately, prohibits Indian athletes from traveling to Pakistan and similarly restricts Pakistani athletes from visiting India for bilateral events. However, the ministry clarified that the policy does not affect multi-lateral tournaments, such as the Asia Cup, in which both India and Pakistan will participate.
Source: The Independent
The highly anticipated Asia Cup, which is set to begin on September 9 in the UAE, will feature a match between arch-rivals India and Pakistan on September 14. Although India and Pakistan have not played any bilateral cricket series for over a decade, with the last encounter taking place in 2012-13 when Pakistan toured India, the two teams will continue to meet in international multi-national tournaments like the ICC World Cups and the Asia Cup.
This decision aligns with India’s long-standing stance on the issue, which has been shaped by political tensions between the neighboring countries. Despite these tensions, the Indian government has confirmed that it will not prevent Pakistan’s participation in international events hosted by India. Furthermore, India’s Sports Minister, Mansukh Mandaviya, reiterated last month that Pakistan’s involvement in events like the T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, would not be hindered due to strained political relations.
Source: Sport Star
While India and Pakistan’s cricketing rivalry remains intense, the two teams are expected to meet at least twice during the Asia Cup. The tournament will follow the T20 format, offering a significant warm-up opportunity for both teams ahead of the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup. Pakistan’s campaign begins on September 12 against Oman, with their final group-stage match set for September 17 against the UAE. Depending on the results, fans may witness up to three encounters between the two sides, potentially including a showdown in the final.
In recent years, Pakistan has worked to improve its security situation and has hosted several top international teams after a period of cricketing isolation following the 2009 militant attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore. These efforts have helped restore Pakistan’s standing as a viable host for major cricket events, though the bilateral cricketing ties with India remain suspended for the foreseeable future.
