Nation Comes First : Harbhajan Singh Urges India to Boycott Pakistan in Asia Cup 2025
Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh has made a strong statement regarding India’s potential participation against Pakistan in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, scheduled in the UAE from September 9. Speaking after the recently concluded World Championship of Legends (WCL), Harbhajan referred to how the India Champions team refused to play against the Pakistan Champions in both the group stage and the semi-final, following the tragic Pahalgam terror attack.
The India Champions squad, which featured stalwarts such as Shikhar Dhawan, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, and Suresh Raina, stood united in their decision as a mark of respect for the soldiers who lost their lives.
Harbhajan stressed that “Nation comes first”, urging the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian team to take a similar stand in the Asia Cup. He highlighted that the sacrifices of Indian soldiers far outweigh the significance of a single cricket match.
In an emotional statement to Times of India, Harbhajan said:
“For me, the soldier who stands on the border, whose family often doesn’t get to see him, who sometimes sacrifices his life and never returns home — their sacrifice is so immense for all of us. Compared to that, this is a very small thing, that we can’t even skip playing one cricket match.”
The veteran spinner’s comments have reignited the debate on India-Pakistan cricket relations, with many fans and former players weighing in on whether political and security issues should impact sporting events.
India have been drawn in Group A alongside Oman, hosts United Arab Emirates, and Pakistan. Group B includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, and Sri Lanka. The much-anticipated India vs Pakistan clash is scheduled for September 14 in Dubai.
Harbhajan drew parallels to the government’s stance, quoting:
“Khoon aur paani ek saath nahi beh sakte” (blood and water cannot flow together).
He explained that ongoing border tensions and conflicts between the two nations should prevent cricketing ties until major issues are resolved.
In a powerful statement, Harbhajan told Times of India:
“Whatever our identity is, it’s because of this country. Whether you are a player, an actor, or anyone else, no one is bigger than the nation. Not playing a cricket match is nothing compared to the importance of the nation.”
Harbhajan, also known as The Turbanator, further urged for a complete boycott of anything Pakistan says or does in the media, reinforcing his call for unity and prioritising national security above sports.
India are the defending Asia Cup champions, having defeated Sri Lanka by 10 wickets in 2023 to win their eighth title, the most by any team in the tournament’s history.
Continuing his strong stance, Harbhajan Singh emphasised that the sacrifices of India’s soldiers should take precedence over any cricket rivalry.
“Humare sarhad pe bhai khade hue hain, jo hume protect kar rahe hain, humare desh ko protect kar rahe hain — unke hausle dekho, wo kitna bada dil leke waha pe khade hue hain. Aur unke parivaar par kya beet-ti hai jab wo ghar wapas nahi aate. Aur hum cricket khelne chale jaate hain.”
(At the border, our brothers are standing, protecting us and our country. Look at their courage, the big hearts with which they serve. Think about what their families go through when they don’t return home. And here we are, playing cricket.)
The former spinner also criticised the media’s coverage of Pakistan, questioning why Pakistani statements and reactions are given so much attention.
“Hum unko itni importance kyun dete hain? Are they that important? When you have boycotted them, when you don’t want to talk to them, then why show them here? This is the duty of the media — to stop this. They shouldn’t be adding fuel to the fire. As I said, cricketers shouldn’t be shaking hands with Pakistan players, but the media shouldn’t be showing them and their reactions on television either.”
Harbhajan insisted that the boycott should go beyond the cricket field, extending to how Pakistani players, officials, and statements are portrayed in the Indian media.
