Former Indian captain and ex-BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has voiced his support for the upcoming India-Pakistan showdown in the Asia Cup 2025, insisting that cricket should continue irrespective of political tensions or tragic events.In an interview with Indian media , Ganguly weighed in on the scheduled September 14 fixture between the arch-rivals in the UAE, affirming that sport must rise above external circumstances.“I have no issue with it.

Sports must go on,” said Ganguly. “Tragic events like the Pahalgam attack should never occur, but they shouldn’t be used as a reason to halt cricket.”He emphasized the need to maintain continuity in sporting ties, even in the face of geopolitical challenges. “What’s done is done — we need to look forward. India has always taken a firm stance against terrorism, but that shouldn’t stop cricket,” Ganguly added. 

His remarks came after the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) released the complete schedule for the Men’s Asia Cup 2025, which will be played in T20 format as a lead-up to the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, to be hosted jointly by India and Sri Lanka. India and Pakistan have been placed in Group A, alongside UAE and Oman, while Group B features Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong.

The tournament begins on September 9 with Afghanistan taking on Hong Kong, while Pakistan will launch their campaign against Oman on September 12, just two days before the highly anticipated clash with India. If both teams qualify for the Super Four stage, another India-Pakistan clash is expected on September 21, with the final set for September 28.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)