Mumbai: Cricket fans have been divided across the country as India has prepared Pakistan to face Pakistan in its first international match as Pahgam Terror Attack and Operation Sindoor.
The high-voltage encounter among the biggest rivals in world cricket has drawn mixed reactions on social media.
Amid the debate, Ashok Pandit, president of the Indian Film and Television Directors Association (IFTDA), strongly opposed the match, called it a “black day” for the country and accused the organizers of “insensitivity”.
#Watch Mumbai, Maharashtra: India vs. Pakistan match to be held in Asia Cup 2025, Indian Film and Television Directors Association (IFTA) President Ashok Pandit says, “In my view, tomorrow is a black day for this country. We cannot be insensitive. pic.twitter.com/xmfltrnnew
– Annie (@ani) September 13, 2025
“… a black day for this country. We can’t be insensitive. Our cricketers should be very shameful; money is not everything.
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He said that India has faced attacks for decades and said that such decisions have been “insulted” the falling soldiers have been “insulted”. Pandit also urged the broadcasters not to broadcast the match.
“In the last 40 years, the attacks on our nation have been constant … The government can give any reason or any rule, but it will not go down from our throat. You are taking all this lightly because none of your family has been attacked … It is an insult to all the security forces that have lost their lives for this nation … We have appealed to television channels to broadcast this match.
Opposition parties had earlier demanded a boycott of the game, but the Center did not issue any objection to the Indian team to play against Pakistan in any multi-nation tournament.
Both sides have met 13 times in T20, with India ahead 9-3. One of Pakistan’s three wins came to Dubai in the 2022 Asia Cup-his last win over India in T20 cricket.
India defeated Pakistan by six runs in New York, the last time both teams met in the 2024 T20 World Cup. Bumrah produced a magical magic to turn on the match when Pakistan seemed to be a clear favorite to take a win.
In the Asia Cup, India and Pakistan have hit both ODI and T20I formats 19 times. India won 10, Pakistan six, while three matches were abandoned.
