There is a lot of public excitement and political tension around the India-Pakistan encounter at the Asia Cup that everyone has been looking forward to. It will happen on Sunday. After the recent military conflict that followed the Pahalgam terror attack, reports suggest that the mood in the Indian cricket team’s dressing room is “sombre.” Some players are thinking about “symbolic protests” on the field.
People on social media are quite angry with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for letting the game go on. Devajit Saikia, the secretary of the BCCI, defended the pick by saying that the team is following a government policy that enables them play against “hostile countries” in multi-nation games, even though bilateral cricket is still on hold.
The players have clearly heard what people believe. Ryan Ten Doeschate, India’s assistant coach, remarked at a news conference before the game that the team knows what the public thinks and how they feel. He said that Gautam Gambhir, the head coach, instructed the team to “just try to be emotionless when it comes to cricket” and to pay attention to the game itself.
The BCCI has stood by its decision, and the team management has tried to shield the players, but a lot of people see the match as more than just a sporting event. attending hasn’t been much enthusiasm going up to the event because notable players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma won’t be attending, and ticket sales have been low. The Pakistan team has been focusing on getting ready on the pitch. Saim Ayub, the opener, downplayed the rivalry by saying, “For us, it’s just the next game.”
Everyone will be monitoring the players and how they act on the pitch as the teams get set to play in Dubai. People will see even the smallest things through the lens of a highly stressful political environment.