October 10th 2025:
Cricket has had its controversy recently not on but off the field. No matter what one may feel individually, however, sports has no place for politics or unsporting behavior. The strong and singular movement championed by the ICC of “ The Spirit of the game”, lay destroyed through 3 India versus Pakistan encounters.
The Asia Cup’25 became the core of war like problems that has enveloped the world at present. The cup rather than binding countries together at a neutral venue, resulted into a conflict which is detrimental to the royal game of cricket.
The final handing over of the silverware to India by the ACC Chairman Mohsin Naqvi turned out to be “A slip between the cup and the lip”. One knew the storyline that would emerge if India did win the final and their action was written for all to see. Abstaining from the customary shake hand curtesy by India with their Pakistan opponents was in itself a worry. One felt a “ Namaste” would have solved the issue amicably. Unfortunately, the remembrance of “ Operation Sindoor” was still fresh in the minds of not only the cricketers but the public as a whole. Therefore, one feels the ACC should have seen the problems that could arise and it would have been prudent to cancel the tournament all together.
Once it did take place, it was the responsibility of Mohsin Naqvi the ACC Chairman, not as a representative of the Pakistan Board but as the Asian Head to ensure that the tournament was not jeopardized in anyway. Common sense and maturity was required and unfortunately his personal ego came in the way. A diplomatic opting out for him to avoid the final ceremony would have led to a perfect ending to a tournament that otherwise went off well.
India, looked head and shoulders above the other Asian countries as a cricket team and although they did stutter at times, the depth of talent and skill got them out of every problematic situation. The Indian team at present looks like a formidable side in the T20 format of the game and one has to give credit to the IPL for it. There is a bundle of confidence that every Indian player seems to exuberate, showcasing the way they have all imbibed the most popular version of the game at present.
The Women’s Cricket World Cup’25 is underway in India with matches in Sri Lanka as well. The Indian team may have lost a close match against South Africa, however, they do look a side that should qualify for the knock-out stage. Their win against Pakistan and the latter losing all their matches that they have so far played must be making the ICC breathe a sigh of relief. The situation that had arisen at The Asia Cup will now not be repeated and the final will be played in India, one hopes, with the Indian side in it.
The India versus West Indies series is a one sided affair. For India, it is important to chalk up enough points in their quest to qualify for the final of the World Test championship. One feels sad to see the downfall of the West Indian side, one that the connoisseurs of the game loved in the past. A sad tale of how a side can fall from grace and one can see a similar trend emerging with Pakistan cricket as well.
A 3 ODI’s series against Australia down under is the next on the roster of the Indian side. Apart from a commercial value, the series has no significance at all. However, this has given the Indian selectors an opportunity to fire their first salvo on the future of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. The former has lost his captaincy to Shubman Gill and the message is clear to the 2 stalwarts, you perform or you perish.
Both Kohli and Sharma have done yeoman service to Indian cricket and one hopes that the BCCI gives them the honour they deserve when they do finally call it a day, whether they eventually play the ODI World Cup in November’27 in South Africa or not.
Indian cricket is truly shining and one can see them becoming a formidable side that could rule World cricket in the near future.
Happy Diwali to one and all!
(Mr Yajurvindra Singh is a former India cricketer. The views expressed are personal.)