"How can cricket and terrorism go on together?": AAp's Saurabh Bharadwaj on India-Pak Asia Cup

AAP leaders and workers strongly opposed the upcoming India-Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 match scheduled for September 14 in Dubai, terming it as "shameful."

Visuals from the AAP office showed party workers holding placards and raising slogans against the match.

Speaking to ANI, Bharadwaj said, "Sindoor of 26 women was wiped off. Terrorists targeted and killed them. Pakistani cricketers made derogatory posts about our sisters.How can our team play Cricket with such people? How can the Government do this? We used to say that trade and terrorism can't go together, that water and terrorism can't go together, that talks and terrorism can't go together. So, how can Cricket and terrorism go on together?"

He added, "How can our conscience die like this that we are ready to play Cricket with Pakistanis so that BCCI and ICC can earn revenue, so that broadcasters can earn crores? This is very shameful."

Supporting the protest, AAP MLA Sanjeev Jha recalled the sacrifices of Indian soldiers and criticised the BJP-led Central government.

"India vs Pakistan match - this is the same Pakistan that wiped off the sindoor of our sisters, this is the same enemy nation for which our jawans had to lay down their lives, this is the same enemy nation for which Operation Sindoor continues to this day. So, how can you play Cricket with them? BJP leaders used to say that blood and water can't flow together. So, how is blood and Cricket taking place together? We oppose this...Pakistani players used to make derogatory posts about our sisters...Will you play Cricket them? Will the office bearers in ICC and BCCI tolerate this? We cannot. So, we are opposing this...I would like to tell the Centre that this match should be immediately stopped. People are angry," Jha told ANI.

The Indian national cricket team is taking on Pakistan for the first time in an international cricket match after the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.

Ahead of the clash, there had been a widespread demand from the opposition to boycott the match. However, the Centre had issued no objection from the Indian team to playing against Pakistan in any multi-nation tournament. (ANI)