‘Does Modi have even an iota of feeling to allow India and Pakistan to play cricket?’ asks Subramanian Swamy

New Delhi: Former Union Minister and BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Sunday criticised the decision to allow India to play against Pakistan in the ongoing Asia Cup, calling it insensitive in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack.

“26 married ladies of India were made to see their respective husbands killed in cold blood by Pakistanis in India’s Kashmir. Horrible!! But more horrible is then to come out and play Cricket with the Butchers so called Pakistan! Does Modi have even an iota of feeling and to allow India and Pakistan to play Cricket?” Swamy tweeted amid nationwide protests against the match.

The remarks come as opposition parties and families of the Pahalgam victims have called for a boycott of the India-Pakistan clash scheduled in Dubai on Sunday, citing the April 22 terror attack that claimed 26 lives.

India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 match

Pakistan skipper Salman Agha won the toss and elected to bat first against India in a highly anticipated clash at the Asia Cup on Sunday.

The group match of the regional tournament in Dubai is the first time that the neighbours are set to play in cricket since a brief but deadly border conflict in May.

BCCI resisted calls to boycott the T20 clash between the nations. Both teams come in unchanged from their opening victories in the tournament being played in the United Arab Emirates.

Since the last encounter between the two arch-rivals in the T20 World Cup 2024, a lot has changed for both sides. New coaches have come in, and there has been an influx of several players. Batting bigwigs Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have retired, while Pakistan moved on from Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam. With the arrival of new players, many potential on-field battles will add to the spice.