By Amna Toufeeq | 08, October 2025
KARACHI: There are worries that India might use cricket for political reasons again, this time at the ICC Women’s World Cup.
Pakistan and India are scheduled to play on October 5 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. An Indian sports journalist, Boria Majumdar, mentioned on social media that the women’s match could have the same tensions as the recent Asia Cup, where India’s men’s team was criticised for not being fair.
The India versus Pakistan cricket game in Colombo is more than just a match. It’s like the Asia Cup continuing, but with a different team. There might be no handshakes, more drama, and political feelings.
In the recent Asia Cup 2025, India won against Pakistan but faced criticism for mixing politics with sports.
Indian players didn’t shake hands with Pakistani players in their three matches. India also refused the trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) head Mohsin Naqvi, a Pakistani, and made political comments after games.
Fans worry politics are hurting sportsmanship. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will address the trophy issue with the International Cricket Council (ICC).
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia stated they didn’t want the trophy from the ACC head, a Pakistani leader.
They plan to complain about Naqvi at the next ICC meeting in November.
ACC Head Naqvi, also leading Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), denied BCCI requests to hand over the Asia Cup 2025 trophy.
Pakistan’s women’s team now wonders whether to react to any such actions or stay focused on their important game.
The PCB hasn’t responded about this issue
. Recent events make the Pakistan-India match in the Women’s World Cup highly anticipated, not for cricket itself, but because of the political tension surrounding it.