Harbhajan Singh did not hold back while criticizing BCCI for giving the green light to participate in Men's Asia Cup and play against Pakistan, despite the tense atmosphere in the country.
Following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, demands for India to boycott Pakistan in every sphere have intensified. Many believed India would withdraw from the Asia Cup or skip matches against Pakistan. However, the release of the tournament schedule took everyone by surprise.
India and Pakistan could potentially face each other up to three times in the event — the group-stage clash on September 14 in Dubai, followed by possible meetings in the Super 4s and the final.
Notably, the India Champions recently refused to play Pakistan in the WCL group stage and semi-final, handing them a walkover into the final, where Pakistan lost to South Africa.
'Until big issues are resolved, cricket a very small matter'
Speaking to Times of India about the Asia Cup decision, Harbhajan remarked,
“They need to understand what is important and what is not. This is as simple as that. 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 skip playing one cricket match. It's a very small matter.”
He further said,
"Our government has the same stance, 'Khoon aur paani ek saath nahi beh sakte.' (blood and sweat cannot co-exist). It cannot be the case that there’s fighting on the border, tensions between the two nations, and we go to play cricket. Until these big issues are resolved, cricket is a very small matter. The nation always comes first."
‘No one bigger than the nation’
Harbhajan emphasized that nothing outweighs the importance of the country.
“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. The country comes first, and the duties we owe to it must be fulfilled. Cricket match na khelna bahut maamuli si cheez hai desh ke saamne (Not playing a cricket match is nothing compared to the importance of the nation).”
He also highlighted the sacrifices of soldiers guarding the borders.
“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.”
Finally, Harbhajan urged the Indian media to stop giving coverage to Pakistan’s statements and interactions.
“Are they that important? Are they that important that every news channel has to give weightage to them? 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.”