The recent Asia Cup saw an unprecedented three matches between arch-rivals India and Pakistan, including the final. The Men in Blue came out on top by 5 wickets, sealing their third win over Pakistan in the tournament.
However, the on-field rivalry took a back seat for Indian fans at the start of the tournament as they called for a boycott of the fixtures, citing the Pahalgam terror attack during the summer, which created unrest among the two bordering nations.
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As India extended their win streak over Pakistan to eight consecutive victories across formats, a BCCI official responded to fan sentiments about the matches going as scheduled.
What did BCCI say about fans asking for IND-PAK boycott?
Despite demands for a boycott, India and Pakistan faced each other thrice in the tournament -- once in every stage of the competition: Group, Super 4 and the final.
While India defeated Pakistan on all three occasions, some fans seemed disappointed that India did not cancel their matches like it did in the World Championship of Legends earlier this year.
In a discussion with Dainik Jagran, an unnamed BCCI official went on to offer an explanation for the situation and reveal why it is difficult for the board to call off such high-stakes matches.
READ MORE: IND vs PAK boycotts: Instances when India or Pakistan skipped cricket tournaments
"It's easy to talk about all this, but will sponsors and broadcasters agree to it? In today's situation, if any major team, not just India, withdraws from a tournament, it will be difficult to attract sponsors," said the official.
Although the matches went as per the plans, the Indian team and captain made sure to take a stand for the terror attack victims and armed forces by refusing handshakes with Pakistan before and after the matches.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav also donated all his earnings from the tournament to the families affected by the terror attack. He paid tribute to them in the post-match presentation ceremony.
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