Asian Games bracing for India, Pakistan animosity to hit cricket clashes in Japan
Officials are concerned that political tensions between India and Pakistan may disrupt cricket matches at the upcoming Asian Games in Japan. Recent incidents, including the refusal of Indian teams to accept trophies from a Pakistani official, underscore the strained relations.
Why it matters
The intersection of sports and geopolitics often complicates international tournaments, reflecting broader diplomatic conflicts between neighboring nations.
India and Pakistan are likely to clash in the latter stages of the men’s and women’s Asian Games cricket this month, and officials are bracing themselves for the bad feeling between the two to spill over in Japan.
On Sunday, India’s women refused to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi after beating Sri Lanka in the final in Dubai, repeating the stand made by their compatriots at the men’s tournament last year.
Naqvi is the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman and also his country’s interior minister, and the team’s decision to snub the trophy presentation reflects the poor political relations between the neighbouring states.
The nature of the cricket competition in Japan means India’s women don’t enter until the quarter-finals, and the first time they could face their rivals would be in a battle for gold, or, more unlikely, bronze.
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