“Ultimately, this is government’s decision whether we play them or not. I have said this before also, no cricket match or Bollywood or any other interaction is more important than the life of Indian soldiers and Indian citizens. Matches will keep happening, movies will be made, singers will continue to perform, but nothing comes close to losing a loved one in your family.

“This is not up to me, it’s not in my jurisdiction, this is for BCCI and more importantly, the government to decide whether we should play them or not. Whatever decision they make, we should be absolutely fine with it and not politicise it.”

India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series of any kind since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Since then, their cricket meetings have been restricted to World Cups and also the regional Asia Cup, which is scheduled to be held later this year.

Recent meetings between the two countries have become increasingly tempestuous, but also one-sided. India have not lost to Pakistan since the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE, which is also the only occasion when Pakistan have beaten India in a T20 or ODI World Cup match.

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There have already been calls within India for Pakistan to be banned from the Asia Cup, and even for the Asian Cricket Council, currently chaired by Pakistan Cricket Board chair Mohsin Naqvi, to be disbanded under its current leadership.

These views, expressed by former India captain and longtime commentator Sunil Gavaskar, among others, have been decried in Pakistan.

“I can’t believe Sunny bhai said this. He’s a respectful, down-to-earth person who always stayed away from politics,” former Pakistan skipper Javed Miandad said in response.

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