Won't watch IND vs PAK match, value of human life more than sports: Manoj Tiwary

Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary has said that he won’t be watching the upcoming India vs Pakistan match in the Asia Cup 2025. India are set to clash with Pakistan on September 14 in Dubai in the continental tournament, which will mark the first cricket match between the two teams after the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

Ahead of the fixture, there has been widespread backlash amongst fans, who’re against any sporting ties with Pakistan. Recently, Manoj Tiwary also expressed disappointment over organising the upcoming fixture, saying that everyone has forgotten about innocent civilians killed in Pahalgam.

"I am a little surprised that this match is going to happen. After the Pahalgam attack, in which so many innocent civilians were killed, and then the war that followed, a lot of talk was going on that this time we will give a befitting reply. Despite this, after a few months, everything has been forgotten. I find it hard to believe that this match is happening, that the value of a human life can be zero," Tiwary told ANI.

Furthermore, Tiwary reiterated that human life should be more valuable than sports and stated that he won’t be watching the match at all.

"What do they want to achieve by playing with Pakistan? The value of a human life should be more than sports. There is no question of me watching the match at all," he added.

The Indian government continues to remain firm on its stance of not having any bilateral sporting relations with Pakistan. However, this restriction does not extend to multilateral tournaments, such as the World Cups and the Olympics, where both countries participate under the jurisdiction of international governing bodies. These tournaments are held in neutral or third-party venues, ensuring no direct bilateral arrangements and maintaining a politically neutral environment for competition.

Recently, Pakistan’s hockey team declined to travel to India for the Asia Cup Hockey, scheduled to begin on 28 September in Rajgir. Meanwhile, India and Pakistan could clash thrice in the Asia Cup, first in the group stages, second in the Super 4 and the possibility of a final as well.