BCCI Official issues massive statement after ICC is ordered to ban India-Pakistan matches

The Asia Cup ended on the 28th of September, with the Indian team refusing to take the trophy from the hands of ACC Chief Mohsin Naqvi. Some players went on to advise the ICC of snubbing India-Pakistan matches, while the BCCI objects with sheer strictness. 

The India vs Pakistan clash in the recently concluded Asia Cup marked not only a sense of intense rivalry but also sheer domination from the Indian side. The controversy further increased during the post-match award presentation ceremony between the sides. 

The two teams, India and Pakistan, met three times in the tournament, first in the group stages of the Asia Cup, then in the Super-4 match and lastly in the Asia Cup 2025 final. Suryakumar Yadav's side went on to win on all of these occasions. 

Michael Atherton advised ICC to snub India-Pakistan matches

Amid the controversy over the Asia Cup Trophy row, and the likes of Indian and Pakistani players being subjected to sanctions by the ICC. The former England captain, Michael Atherton, advised the ICC not to have any further clashes between India and Pakistan until their clashes are resolved.  

"If cricket was once the vehicle for diplomacy, it is now, clearly, a proxy for broader tensions and for propaganda. There is little justification, in any case, for a serious sport to arrange tournament fixtures to suit its economic needs, and now that the rivalry is being exploited in other ways, there is even less justification for it," Atherton wrote in his column for The Times.

"For the next broadcast rights cycle, the fixture draw before ICC events should be transparent, and if the two teams do not meet every time, so be it," he further added.

BCCI Officials blast Michael Atherton for his remarks 

The sudden and unexpected claim from the former English captain had shocked all; the BCCI hence came forward to respond to his claims. Reacting to the claims from Atherton, a BCCI official said that such comments are easy to make, but the solution to this issue is much more complicated. 

'It's easy to talk about all this, but will sponsors and broadcasters agree to it? In today's situation, if any major team, not just India, withdraws from a tournament, it will be difficult to attract sponsors,' the BCCI official told Dainik Jagran.

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