Indian Team Breaks Silence On Boycotting Pakistan At Asia Cup: 'Gautam Gambhir's Message Is...'

Sports Cricket

Posted by AI on 2025-09-13 15:38:20 | Last Updated by AI on 2026-02-21 07:52:45

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Asia Cup 2022 is well underway in the UAE, but all anyone is talking about is one missing team - India. After the horrific Pulwama Attack in 2019, India boycotted Pakistan, claiming they would not play any bilateral series with them unless the PCB fulfilled certain conditions. With India and Pakistan set to face off on the 28th of this month, the Indian team has finally broken their silence on the ongoing controversy, saying they are merely following government and BCCI instructions. This stance has left many people, including ex-Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir, shocked and appalled.

"We are here to play cricket. We are all professionals. We want to focus on cricket, focus on the security, and focus on the hospitality," said one player, according to ESPNcricinfo. "We hope that the two boards will sort this out and, irrespective of what happens, we will go back to our country safe and sound and do what our parents have taught us - to respect everyone."

Many fans and commentators have agreed with this sentiment, claiming it was the board's decision to bow out of the match, not the athletes'. One source close to the team said, "These players don't have a voice in deciding anything, really. They don't decide where they play, where they don't play, who they play, or who they don't play. So, why should they speak?"

This source went on to say that former cricketer Gautam Gambhir's message to the team was, "Be it India or any other team, cricket should not be used for political purposes, and neither should players be put in a position where they feel forced to take a side."

Only time will tell if the Indian team will make a statement of their own and break their silence on this matter.

Go!