The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday refused to urgently list a plea seeking cancellation of the cricket match between India and Pakistan in the upcoming Asia Cup.
The match is scheduled for September 14 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
A Bench comprising Justices J K Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi questioned the urgency of the petition. “What is the urgency? It's a match, let it be. Match is this Sunday, what can be done?” the Bench observed.
The counsel for the petitioners requested that the plea be heard on Friday, warning that it would become infructuous if not taken up before the game. The Bench, however, maintained, “Match is this Sunday? What can we do about that? Let it be. Match should go on.”
Petition highlights national concerns
The plea was filed by one Urvashi Jain and three other law students, who argued that holding a cricket match with Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor sends a message contrary to national dignity and public sentiment.
"Cricket between nations is meant to show harmony and friendship. But after the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, when our people died and our soldiers risked everything, playing with Pakistan sent the opposite message that while our soldiers are sacrificing their lives, we are celebrating sports with the same country sheltering terrorists," the plea said.
It added that the match could hurt the sentiments of families of victims who lost their lives to Pakistani terrorists and added, “The dignity of the nation and security of citizens come before entertainment.”
'Match can be detrimental to national interests'
The petition also claimed that playing the match would be “detrimental to the national interests” and morale of the armed forces and the country.
The plea further noted that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) operates like “a nation within a nation” and is insensitive to national problems, calamities, and public sorrow. It highlighted that under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, BCCI does not qualify as a National Sports Federation (NSF) and should be under the jurisdiction of the National Sports Board (NSB).
The petitioners emphasised that ongoing operations against terror bases in Pakistan and continuous infiltration in Kashmir make holding the match inappropriate. "Our armed forces have been carrying out day & night search operations fighting the infiltrators from Pakistan, our soldiers are sacrificing their lives and citizens too falling prey to the bullets of Pakistan-sponsored terrorists," it said.
Despite these concerns, the SC refused to entertain the request for an urgent hearing, allowing the India-Pakistan Asia Cup clash to go ahead as planned.
(lankaleader.lk)
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