'Deshbhakti Comes First': S. Sreesanth Endorses Nation First, Urges The BCCI To Cancel IND vs PAK Game In Asia Cup 2025

S. Sreesanth, the former Indian cricketer and 2007 T20 World Cup winner, believes the India vs Pakistan match at the Asia Cup 2025 should not happen. The veteran believes in the Nation First ideology and believes India has nothing to prove against Pakistan in the tournament. Sreesanth also claimed that Pakistan should not be allowed to be a part of the tournament.

S Sreesanth Wants Pakistan Out Of The Asia Cup 2025

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) remains in the public ire after the Asia Cup 2025 schedule has pitted India and Pakistan in the same group.

The dates for the tournament have been set, and India will face Pakistan in the group stage. Despite pushing for zero ties with Pakistan after the Pahalgam Terror Attack, the BCCI had to cave in, raising a lot of questions.

S. Sreesanth has vouched for zero tolerance and wants Pakistan out of the Asia Cup 2025, and has urged Team India to stay away from them since patriotism should be their priority. The former Indian cricketer added that the country has nothing to prove against them.

"I love the game, but you should put your country first. The way Indians are, we have nothing to prove. India are superb. In my personal view, Pakistan shouldn't be allowed; we should stay away from playing against them. Deshbhakti (Patriotism) comes first. There are rising tensions between the two nations, and Pakistan should take it easy.

"Everybody can look at IND vs PAK from different perspectives. Look at the country first, not the profits. When it comes to the country, it's not so easy that you go ahead and say 'Let's do it'. Right now, the situation is not about entertaining the crowd; it's about the nation," Sreesanth said to Republic.

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India vs Pakistan Is Still A Go In Asia Cup 2025, Date For High-Voltage Clash Revealed

Despite the backlash due to the India-Pakistan conflict, the Asia Cup 2025 has reportedly received the green light. ACC President and PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi has revealed the dates, with the tournament happening from September 9 to 28, 2025, in the UAE.

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As per ESPNcricinfo, Team India and Pakistan are pitted in Group A, and their group-stage match will take place on September 14. There are chances of two more games between the arch-rivals, given they reach the summit clash.

Team India is the defending champion of the Asia Cup after edging Sri Lanka in the final back in 2023.