Pakistan, India should face off in every tournament, says Mohammad Azharuddin

Indian cricketer-turned-politician and Congress leader Mohammad Azharuddin has said India should play against Pakistan in every tournament, or decide not to play each other at all.

He said that if the teams want to compete, it should be consistent across events, “If you want to play, play in every tournament, otherwise don’t play.”

He also said that “the Indian government will engage with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and decide what is good and what is not,” adding, “Whatever decision the Indian government makes will be final.”

Congress is currently the opposition party of India, and the archrivals of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Azharuddin’s comments come amid ongoing debates over the cricketing ties between the two neighboring countries. Before this, India’s behavior leading up to the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy was nothing short of a political tantrum. From the outset, the BCCI, backed by the Indian government, tried every angle to avoid sending its team to Pakistan, citing security, pushing for a hybrid model, and even hinting at a boycott.

It was a move many saw as less about genuine concern and more about asserting dominance in global cricket, an attempt to isolate Pakistan on the world stage. Eventually a hybrid model was agreed, where all matches played by the Indian team were held in Dubai.

After the event, BCCI continued to attempt to isolate Pakistan in the world of cricket, and harped upon refusal to play Pakistan in any tournament. However, recently the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi, who also dons the hat of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has announced the schedule for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025.

The tournament will feature eight teams: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Hong Kong, UAE and Oman. As per the schedule, 19 matches will be played, with the final scheduled for the September 28, 2025.

Earlier in May, there were reports of India skipping the tournament, but BCCI denied those reports.

According to the standing agreement between PCB and BCCI, prior to the Champions Trophy, both Pakistan and India will only play each other at neutral locations and only in the International Cricket Council (ICC) or ACC tournaments. The schedule and locations of the matches will be announced later, but the Pakistan-India clash, scheduled for September 14, would most likely be at a neutral location.

Also read: Asia Cup 2025 schedule announced