Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 06:19am on 14 Sep 2025,Sunday Sports
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia defended India's decision to play Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 despite boycott calls following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. Saikia explained that India cannot boycott multilateral tournaments as it would jeopardize future hosting opportunities for Olympics and Commonwealth Games. While India maintains a policy of not playing bilateral series against Pakistan since 2012-13, multilateral events are different as boycotting could result in international sanctions against Indian sports federations. The BCCI follows central government guidelines that permit participation in multinational tournaments while restricting bilateral contests with hostile nations. Saikia expressed confidence in Team India's victory against Pakistan on Sunday. (PC: Wikipedia)
