Bloody Sundays: On cricket, the Asia Cup, India-Pakistan rivalry
Cricket is getting overshadowed by India-Pakistan political rivalry
Three successive Sundays featuring matches involving India and Pakistan are a broadcaster’s windfall dream. This rare cricketing high will be played out when the sub-continental rivals clash in the Asia Cup final at Dubai this Sunday (September 28, 2025). Interestingly, since its inception from 1984, the continental tournament never featured an India-Pakistan summit clash. However, the latest prelude remains dull as the contests over the last two weekends lacked sporting thrills even if the political tension almost bordered on the ‘war minus the shooting’ trope. Suryakumar Yadav’s men overwhelmingly dominated the jousts, yet dimmed their glory as they remained churlish and refused the customary handshake with the opposition, a tradition innate to the willow game and other sports. The Pahalgam terror strike and the resultant Operation Sindoor are part of the backdrop, but if India felt strongly about playing against its western neighbour, then the protest could have been registered by refusing to turn up for these particular games. But walking into the park, playing the match and still refusing to respect the game’s behavioural protocols do not reflect well on the Indian unit. That there is no escaping the nationalism bandwagon and the ensuing domestic pressures was evident in the manner in which some of the Pakistani players gesticulated.Pakistani stars Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf are in the dock with the former using his bat like a gun and the latter hinting at fighter planes being shot down. Meanwhile, Suryakumar’s reference to Pahalgam also came under the scanner. In all this high-strung theatre of anger, India still proved its superior mettle against all rivals, a skill-advantage that was reiterated twice against Pakistan. Opener Abhishek Sharma has been at his riveting best, and his scalding form has forced the opposition bowlers to constantly alter their tactics. His Punjab mate Shubman Gill has also flourished against the men from across the Wagah border. Among the bowlers, even if spearhead Jasprit Bumrah draws attention, spinner Kuldeep Yadav has been in his elements on the dry, abrasive surfaces under West Asian skies. The dip in quality of Indo-Pak tussles is a contrast to the 1980s and 1990s when the games were contested on an even keel. For Indian fans of a certain vintage, Javed Miandad’s last-ball six off Chetan Sharma remains a bruise that never heals. The current Asia Cup has revealed how far India has progressed while Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have stagnated. This Sunday, defending champion India will step in as the favourite unless Shaheen Afridi and his fellow pacers spring an ambush.