‘None of them wanted to play…’: Former India star amid Asia Cup tensions

However, recent reports suggest that none of the Indian players were particularly enthusiastic about participating in the match against Pakistan.

Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina told Sports Tak that, in his opinion, no player wanted to take part in the Asia Cup clash. However, they had to follow protocol since the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had agreed to participate.

“I know one thing for sure. If you personally ask the players, none of them wants to play the Asia Cup. In a way, they are forced because the BCCI has agreed to it. I am sad that India are playing against Pakistan, but I can also say for a fact that if Suryakumar Yadav and his players are asked about their personal opinions about playing against Pakistan, they would have said no. None of them wanted to play,” Raina said.

The Pahalgam terror assault and the subsequent Operation Sindoor brought India and Pakistan’s relationship to an all-time low. Due to the heightened political tensions between the two nations, there was uncertainty over whether the Asia Cup would be held this year. However, the BCCI and the other participating boards decided to go ahead with the tournament.

Calls for a boycott of the match emerged after it was revealed that the BCCI had agreed to allow the Indian team to play against Pakistan. There was significant outrage on social media regarding the fixture; however, the Indian squad chose to ignore the backlash and proceeded to play as scheduled.

India defeated Pakistan by 7 wickets, delivering a strong performance while also expressing solidarity with the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.