A match between the two countries is a rarity with no bilateral series since 2013, given the political relations. This only adds to the excitement amongst the fans whenever India and Pakistan face each other in multi-nation tournaments like the World Cup and the Asia Cup.
While the fans are willing to pay exorbitant amounts for a ticket, the clash becomes a cash-cow for the International Cricket Council (ICC), BCCI, PCB and the broadcasters with high ticket and advertising revenue.
In the previous meeting at the Champions Trophy 2025, the India vs Pakistan match garnered 26 billion minutes of watch time on Indian television, which was more than even their World Cup meeting in 2023. Media rights for just three ICC tournaments are valued at around Rs 1,400 crore, which would not have been possible without the two arch-rivals going head-to-head. The ICC has even admitted in the past to deliberately “arranging” groups so the two countries face each other.
The rivalry has seldom disappointed. From on-field arguments to thrilling finishes, India and Pakistan have given it all in the high-intensity clash. However, in the past few years, it is India that has come up on top convincingly. The last nail-biter was played in the 2022 T20 World Cup when India clinched a win off the last ball at Melbourne.
Things are not the same for Sunday’s Ind vs Pak clash
The excitement, anticipation and the hype for the Asia Cup clash has been missing as fans and opposition parties alike call for a boycott, not for cricketing reasons but for something far more jarring.
The match comes in the backdrop of the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22. The deadly attack claimed the lives of 26 civilians, which worsened the relationship between the neighbours.
In retaliation, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terror camps and infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said “Blood and water cannot flow together” and quashed the Indus Water Treaty.
The situation escalated quickly with shots being fired from both sides for four days between May 7 and 10 before the two countries agreed on a ceasefire.
Ever since the attack, India has banned several Pakistani social media accounts and celebrities.
Only a couple of months ago, the Indian Legends team boycotted the matches against Pakistan in the World Championship of Legends tournament. The team even gave a walk-off to Pakistan in a semifinal. Moreover, the Pakistani hockey team refused to travel to India for the Asia Cup.
Yet, when the stakes are the highest, India and Pakistan are set to play a game of cricket even amid political opposition and fans calling for a boycott.
India vs Pakistan match facing boycott?
The tickets for the big India vs Pakistan clash are usually sold out within a few hours, if not minutes. However, thousands are still available with only hours left for the marquee match.
“We are surprised that flow of sales for India vs Pakistan is much low, till the time we sold out with lower stands only but the upper and top tear stands are still on sale, in the champions trophy for the same match we had sale on two times in a single day like we opened ticket window 2 pm and 4 pm and we were sold out that time in just less than 4 minutes, but this time craze is very dull,” an Emirates Board official told ANI.
Indian fans are angry as several ex-Pakistani cricketers openly sided with their country’s military narrative during Operation Sindoor.
Two of the players from the current squad, including Faheem Ashraf and Abrar Ahmed, also posted anti-India content.
The hype and the festive environment that usually builds up weeks prior to the match has been missing with calls on social media to boycott. It is even unclear if BCCI officials, who otherwise gather in large numbers for such big events, will turn up on Sunday.
Further, victims’ families have also called for people of the country to stand together in boycotting the match.
Even as fans call for a boycott, the government of India has given clearance and the Supreme Court junked a plea to stop the match.
Political storm brews ahead of Asia Cup match
Former Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday said, “When multinational tournaments are organised by ACC or ICC, it becomes a compulsion, a necessity for nations to participate. If they don’t do that, they will be eliminated from the tournament, they will have to forfeit the match and the other team will get the points…But India doesn’t play bilateral tournaments with Pakistan. We have made this decision for years that India won’t play bilateral tournaments with Pakistan until Pakistan stops terrorist attacks on India.”
The opposition, however, has been clear in its stance of boycotting the match. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddahv Thackeray said, “Our Prime Minister said blood and water cannot flow together, then how can blood and cricket flow together. How can war and cricket be at the same time? They have done business in patriotism. The business of patriotism is only for money. They are going to play the match tomorrow also because they want all the money they will get from that match. Tomorrow, Shiv Sena (UBT) women workers will come out on the streets in Maharashtra and they are going to send sindoor from every house to PM Modi,”
AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi targeted both the BCCI and the BJP ahead of the match. “We ask the Prime Minister, when you said that blood and water cannot flow together, dialogue and terrorism cannot happen together, then how much money will the BCCI get from one cricket match, Rs 2000 crore, Rs 3000 crore? Is the value of money more than the lives of our 26 citizens? This is what the BJP should tell. We stood with those 26 citizens yesterday as well, we stand with them today, and we will stand with them tomorrow as well.” he stated.
Meanwhile, the AAP has said that it will keep a watch on restaurants and pubs that screen the match in Delhi.
What next in India vs Pakistan rivalry?
India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series in over a decade, while Pakistani players have been banned from the Indian Premier League (IPL) ever since the Mumbai attacks in 2008.
The two nations have been at war four times prior to the escalation in May and yet cricketing ties continued for decades. There was even a “Friendship Series” in 2004 after cricketing ties were suspended from 2000-2004. Even during that time, India faced Pakistan in the 2003 World Cup.
The two teams played regularly through the decade of 2000s until the 2008 attacks, with meetings in Asia Cup, World Cup and the Champions Trophy continuing.
The latest developments earlier this year might have bittered the relations, but for now, the clash between India and Pakistan will take place, with a possibility of two more matches within the span of the next two weeks in the Asia Cup.
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