Harbhajan Singh Says No Cricket With Pakistan Until Relations Improve

Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has said that India and Pakistan should not play cricket against each other until relations between the two countries improve. His comments come ahead of the high-profile Asia Cup 2025 clash scheduled for Sunday, September 14, in Dubai.

The match will be the first meeting between the two teams since India launched Operation Sindoor in response to the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam earlier this year, where 26 Indian tourists lost their lives. The attack sparked widespread anger and led to India strengthening its stance of suspending trade and bilateral sporting ties with Pakistan.

“India-Pakistan matches are always in the limelight,” Harbhajan said. “But after Operation Sindoor, people felt there should be no cricket and no business with Pakistan. I believe until relations improve, cricket and business should not happen either.”

The veteran spinner, however, added that he would respect the government’s decision. “That is my view. If the government says the match should happen, then it should happen,” he said. Harbhajan also recalled that during the recent World Championship of Legends, an India-Pakistan game never took place, reflecting the same sentiment.

Supreme Court declines plea to stop the match

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has refused to urgently hear a petition filed by four law students seeking to cancel the India-Pakistan game. The petition argued that playing Pakistan so soon after Operation Sindoor would dishonour the sacrifices of Indian soldiers and hurt the families of terror victims.

A bench of Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi dismissed the request, saying, “It’s just a match, let it be. The match should go on.”

India and Pakistan will now face each other at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in their Asia Cup group-stage encounter, a fixture expected to draw global attention despite the political and emotional tensions surrounding it.