Priyanka Chaturvedi, a Member of Parliament from the Shiv Sena (UBT), has vocally opposed the India-Pakistan cricket match scheduled for September 14, 2025, as part of the Asia Cup in Dubai. She has called for a ban on live streaming of the match and has criticized the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the central government for prioritizing financial gains over national sentiment and the sacrifices of soldiers.
Chaturvedi's demand comes in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, where 26 innocent tourists were killed. She questioned how the country could justify playing a match with a nation that harbors terrorists, and how the widows of slain soldiers would feel. She argued that playing cricket for monetary gain is an insult to the families of the martyrs.
During a debate in the Rajya Sabha on "Operation Sindoor," Chaturvedi urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to direct the ICC Chairman, his son Jay Shah, to cancel the match. She pointed out that the government has already banned Pakistani news channels and influencers and suggested that it is time to impose a ban on cricket as well. She stated that if the Home Minister tells the ICC Chairman that the India-Pakistan match cannot happen, it will not happen and that would be a success of Operation Sindoor.
Chaturvedi has also called out the commercialization of patriotism. She has urged citizens to hold accountable the commercial entities associated with the broadcast and streaming of the India-Pakistan match, calling for direct public action. She has asked the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to ban all streaming apps and broadcast channels that show the match live. She has also said that every sponsor, broadcaster, and streaming platform that tries to make money from the match must be named and shamed.
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has announced that the Asia Cup will be played from September 9-28 in the UAE. The ACC has termed the India-Pakistan clash as the "blockbuster fixture" of the series. The India-Pakistan match is expected to attract a large number of viewers, and companies are willing to pay a hefty amount to promote their brands during the match. According to a report in the Economic Times, the ad inventory for India's Asia Cup 2025 matches has been priced at Rs 14-16 lakh per 10-second slot.
The Sports Ministry has clarified its stance on sports relations with Pakistan, prohibiting bilateral events but allowing participation in international tournaments where both nations are present. According to the new guidelines, Indian teams will not participate in bilateral matches hosted in Pakistan, nor will Pakistani teams be allowed to tour India for similar contests. Officials noted that this stance reflects the government's broader policy of limiting direct sporting exchanges.
