Is India vs Pakistan cricket clash in Asia Cup a strong possibility in September? That is the question on everyone’s mind after a sports ministry source said Pakistan’s hockey teams will not be stopped from competing in next month’s Asia Cup and the junior World Cup in India. While the Asia Cup is scheduled to be held in Rajgir, Bihar from August 27 to September 7, the junior World Cup will be organised in Chennai and Madurai from November 28 to December 10. If it happens it will be one of the first instances of a sporting team from Pakistan travelling to India after Operation Sindoor. 

When asked whether this means India will be allowed to play against Pakistan in the Asia Cup of cricket in September, the source said, “The BCCI is yet to reach out to the ministry on this. We will address this query when they approach us.” 

India and Pakistan have been avoiding bilateral sporting engagements for close to two decades but even multi-lateral face-offs were in doubt after the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 tourists were gunned down in April.

“We are not against any team competing in India in a multi-national competition. If we try to stop Pakistan it would be seen as a violation of the Olympic Charter. But bilateral is different and there will be no relaxation on that front,” the source said.

However, regarding allowing the hockey team, the sports ministry source said, any move to block the arch-foes would be a violation of the Olympic Charter.

The Charter is akin to the constitution of the Olympic movement and stresses on sport as a tool for promoting international peace and cooperation. As a result, any attempt to block a rival country from a multi-national event adversely impacts the host nation’s prospects of getting future hosting rights.

In May, India retaliated with Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan leading to a tense military showdown that de-escalated on Pakistan’s request for a ceasefire.

“International sports demands that we cannot back out from competing in multi-national competitions. Take for instance, Russia and Ukraine, they are at war but they show up at multi-national events and compete as well,” he added.

Hockey India (HI) welcomed the decision to allow Pakistan hockey teams to play in Asia Cup and junior World Cup in India.

“We welcome government’s decision. Our stance from the beginning was that whatever the government decides we will abide by that. There is no other argument in that,” HI secretary general Bhola Nath Singh said.

HI had repeatedly stated that they would abide by the government directive on the matter.

With PTI inputs