FORMER India captain Sourav Ganguly on Sunday said he has no issues with India being in the same group as Pakistan in the upcoming Asia Cup, adding that while terrorism must end, sport should continue.
India and Pakistan have been placed in Group A and are scheduled to meet at the Dubai International Stadium on September 14.
“I’m okay with the schedule. Sport must continue. What happened in Pahalgam should never happen, but we can’t let that stop the game. Terrorism must end. India has taken a firm stand against it, it’s in the past now. Sport must go on,” Ganguly told PTI.
The T20 Asia Cup will be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from September 9 to 28. India will open their campaign against UAE on September 10 and are expected to play all their matches in Dubai. India and Pakistan could meet again in the Super Four stage on September 21.
Group A consists of India, Pakistan, UAE and Oman, while Group B features Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Hong Kong.
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has allowed 17-member squads for the 19-match tournament, with games scheduled in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Although the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is the official host, the tournament is being played in the UAE as India and Pakistan have agreed to compete only at neutral venues till 2027 due to ongoing cross-border tensions.
The two nations came close to war following the Pahalgam attack, to which India responded with Operation Sindoor.
(With inputs from PTI)
Ben Stokes of England walks off after being dismissed for 141 runs during Day Four of the 4th Rothesay Test match against India at Emirates Old Trafford on July 26, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)