No Bilateral Series With Pakistan: Sports Ministry Confirms Firm Stance. India will not play any bilateral sporting fixtures with Pakistan, confirming its long-held position informed by diplomatic and security considerations, according to the Sports Ministry. No Bilaterals, Just Multilaterals. The ministry clarified that Indian teams will not travel to Pakistan for bilateral events. Pakistani teams will not be allowed to visit India for such a series either.
As mentioned earlier, this covers all sports, not only cricket. Multilateral competitions, such as the ICC World Cup, Asia Cup, or other international championships, will not be affected, though. Both competing nations will be able to play as part of the overall global sporting framework.
Asia Cup and neutral venues
The upcoming Asia Cup 2025 will begin on September 9 in the UAE, where India and Pakistan meet. The ministry stressed that India will continue to participate in these tournaments, although the matches are often played at neutral venues in order to work around serious diplomatic sensitivities. For example, earlier this year, during the Women’s World Cup, Pakistan played its fixtures in Colombo despite India being the host nation.
National Interest First
Officials clarified that this decision is reflective of India’s position on Pakistan, essentially reiterating that national interest and safety win out over bilateral sporting relationships. The BCCI has also endorsed this stance, explaining that it cannot pursue bilateral series without government clearance.
Also Read: Shubman Gill Likely To Lead T20Is, Shreyas Iyer In Line For ODI Captaincy
The Sports Ministry’s position is clear: no bilaterals with Pakistan, no exceptions. At the same time, India will observe its international obligations by opting into multilateral tournaments. With the Asia Cup coming up soon, this policy means that while India won’t limit sporting competition internationally, cricket diplomacy will remain less bilateral.
