'Our Wounds Still Fresh, How Can India Play Against Pakistan': Pahalgam Victims' Kin On Asia Cup Fixture
"Their martyrdom holds no value for the BCCI. Perhaps because none of their own were lost," says Aishanya, whose husband was among the 26 victims.
Published : September 14, 2025 at 7:44 AM IST
|Updated : September 14, 2025 at 7:34 PM IST
Hyderabad: "If you want to play the match, bring me back my 16-year-old brother, who was shot with so many bullets." These words by young Sawan Parmar, who lost his father and brother in the deadly Pahalgam terror attack earlier this year, sum up the disappointment and anger families of the victims have over the India-Pakistan cricket match.
The two teams are set to face each other today at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the ongoing Asia Cup. Family members of the victims, however, have criticised the government for allowing the contest, stating that they are really disturbed by the decision.
Expressing his anguish, Sawan, who is from Bhavnagar in Gujarat, said that the Operation Sindoor seemed like a "waste" now.
"... When we got to know that the India vs Pakistan match was being organised, we were very disturbed. No sort of connection should remain with Pakistan... If you want to play the match, bring me back my 16-year-old brother who was shot with so many bullets... Operation Sindoor seems to be a waste now..." he said, while speaking to a news agency.
Kiran Yatish Parmar, his mother, questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi why the match was being conducted if the Operation Sindoor had not been concluded yet, further stating that the wounds of the victim families have not healed yet.
"This match should not happen. I would like to ask Prime Minister Modi, since Operation Sindoor has not concluded, why is this India vs Pakistan match happening? I want to tell everyone in the country to go and visit those families who have lost their loved ones in the Pahalgam terror attack and see how sad they are. Our wounds are still fresh," she said.
Another woman whose husband was among the Pahalgam attack victims called for the boycott of the cricket match. Aishanya, the widow of Shubham Dwivedi, criticised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for their decision to proceed with the match.
Speaking to PTI on Saturday, Aishanya described the decision to hold the match as "deeply insensitive" and accused the BCCI of disregarding the sentiments of the victims' families. "Their martyrdom holds no value for the BCCI. Perhaps because none of their own were lost," she said.
She appealed to the public, urging them to "boycott this match, do not watch it on television." Aishanya also expressed disappointment over the silence of Indian cricketers and urged them to refuse to play against Pakistan. "Cricket is treated as a national sport, yet only a few players have spoken about boycotting. The BCCI cannot force anyone at gunpoint to play," she asserted.
She argued that any revenue generated from the match would ultimately benefit Pakistan, stating, "Every rupee that reaches Pakistan through this match is certainly used for terrorism. By playing, we are strengthening those who attack us." Aishanya called on sponsors and broadcasters to reconsider their involvement.
Reiterating her request for a public boycott, Aishanya said, "If you do not switch on your TV that day, there will be no viewership and no revenue. Only then can a change be brought," she said.
The anger over India facing Pakistan in the tournament stems from the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, during which 26 tourists were killed by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. India responded with Operation Sindoor, a precision strike in May 2025 on terrorist infrastructure within Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Opposition leaders have also cornered the government over the issues. On Saturday, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray described the fixture as "an insult to national sentiments". "Boycotting the Asia Cup match is an opportunity to convey to the world our stance on terrorism," he said.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said every time there is a match between India and Pakistan, the incidents of Pahalgam and Pulwama are forgotten.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also lashed out at the Centre. "What is the need for the Prime Minister to host a game against Pakistan. The entire country is against this match. Then why is this match taking place? Is this being done under pressure from USA President Donald Trump? How much you will bow down before Donald Trump," Kejriwal said.
AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi also questioned the decision to play cricket matches with the rival country, and sought clarity from the government on the monetary gains compared to the loss of human lives.
"My question to the Chief Minister of Assam, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, and all of them is that you don't have the power to refuse to play a cricket match against Pakistan, which asked for the religion of our 26 citizens in Pahalgam and shot them..." Owaisi said, speaking to the media.
The AIMIM chief questioned the BJP whether the money earned through the match is more valuable than the lives of 26 citizens who were killed in the Pahalgam terrorist attack.
"We ask the Prime Minister, when you said that blood and water cannot flow together, dialogue and terrorism cannot happen together, then how much money will the BCCI get from one cricket match, Rs 2000 crore, Rs 3000 crore? Is the value of money more than the lives of our 26 citizens? This is what the BJP should tell... We stood with those 26 citizens yesterday as well, we stand with them today, and we will stand with them tomorrow as well..." he stated.
Rohtas also witnessed similar outrage, where the family of martyr Manish Ranjan, an Intelligence Bureau officer killed in the Pahalgam terror attack, voiced strong protest against the Asia Cup clash. His uncle, Alok Priyadarshi, said holding a match against Pakistan dishonours his nephew’s martyrdom and undermines the spirit of Operation Sindoor, which the country had celebrated as a bold response to terrorism. He appealed to the government to cancel the fixture, stressing that India should not maintain any ties with a nation that fuels terror, whether in sports, trade, or other relations.
Read More
