BCCI strictly adhering to government's stance on cricketing ties with Pakistan, says IPL chairman Arun Dhumal

New Delhi: IPL chairman Arun Dhumal on Friday said that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is strictly adhering to the government's stance on cricketing ties with arch-rivals Pakistan. The statement comes as the Indian cricket board faces huge criticism on the Asia Cup 2025 encounter between India and Pakistan which is set to be held on Sunday, September 14 in Dubai.

This will be for the first time since Champions Trophy and the Pahalgam terror attack that India will play Pakistan at a cricketing event. After 26 innocent people were killed in Pahalgam in April, India launched Operation Sindoor in which multiple terror pads were destroyed in Pakistan. This was followed by strained socio-political relations between the two countries which got further spoiled.

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Anguished fans called for boycotting all the cricketing ties with Pakistan but the BCCI has clearly stated that India will not play any bilateral cricket with the rivals but can't avoid facing them off at big events. Dhumal, who was speaking with reporters at the Playcom Business of Sports Conclave in New Delhi on Friday, said that the government has made it very clear that they will not play any bilateral with Pakistan and feature only in multilateral tournaments.

'The government has made it very clear that we will not play bilaterals and only feature against Pakistan in multilateral tournaments. We are only following the government's advice," Dhumal said during a joint interaction with reporters.

As per a new policy formulated by the government recently, India will not engage in any bilateral sporting contest with Pakistan but will continue to face the Asian neighbours in multilateral tournaments such as the ongoing Asia Cup 2025 tournament. He also commented on Dream 11's exit as the jersey sponsor saying that process to finalise a replacement is already in place.