‘Sports should be there, but bloodshed should stop, enough is enough’
Ahead of the Asia Cup, former Indian cricketer Surinder Khanna shared his views on whether the India-Pakistan clash should be played. He said that while matches ought to take place, especially during multi-nation or ICC tournaments where a trophy is at stake, the bloodshed on the border must also stop, remarking: “Enough is enough.”
India will kick off their campaign against the UAE on September 10, while the high-voltage game against Pakistan is scheduled for September 14 in Dubai. Their final group-stage fixture against Oman will be played on September 19 in Abu Dhabi.
The question of whether the popular fixture should go ahead has been a major point of debate leading up to the tournament. Recently, Indian legends chose not to play against Pakistan in the World Championships of Legends (WCL) due to heightened tensions between the two nations. While some voices insist the match must be played since it is part of a multi-nation tournament with a title at stake, a large section has been equally vocal in calling for a boycott.
The backdrop is Operation Sindoor, launched in May by the Indian Armed Forces against Pakistan-backed terror groups following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The operation included targeted strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, killing over 100 terrorists linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen.
Speaking to ANI about the India-Pakistan match, Surinder said, “As far as playing the match is concerned, this is for the government to decide. I am too small a person to speak on that. As a player, yes, sports should be there. But at the same time, I feel that the bloodshed on the border should also stop. Enough is enough.”
He added that while playing Pakistan in a multi-nation or ICC event is understandable since there is a trophy at stake, his emotions reflect those of the nation: “My feelings are with the people of the nation. The killing of innocent people at the border on both sides should stop.”
India last toured Pakistan for cricket in 2008, and the last bilateral series between the arch-rivals was played in 2013. Since then, the two teams have only met at ICC or Asia Cup events.
© 2025