Our Bureau
New Delhi
Former India captain Kapil Dev has urged everyone to keep cricket free from political interference following the heated controversies during the 2025 Asia Cup final between India and Pakistan. After India’s five-wicket victory over Pakistan in Dubai on September 28, the Indian team refused to accept the Asia Cup trophy and medals from Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who also heads the Pakistan Cricket Board and Asian Cricket Council. This led to a delayed and abbreviated presentation ceremony, with the Indian team celebrating their win without the official awards.
Kapil Dev emphasized that as a sportsman, his wish is to focus solely on cricket rather than politics. He said, “We should look into the sports side rather than looking into the politics side. Yes, media has the responsibility to bring everything on the table, but as a sportsman, I would like to see that we should stick to sports. It will be much better.” His comments called on players, officials, and the media to prioritize the spirit of the sport amid mounting tensions between the two nations.
The final match itself saw Pakistan start strong with an 84-run opening partnership before collapsing dramatically and posting a modest 146 runs. India chased down the target with two balls to spare despite losing early wickets.
Kapil Dev also commented on the current Pakistani cricket team’s talent, noting a decline compared to the golden eras of the 1980s and 1990s. He said Pakistan no longer possesses the calibre of players like Wasim Akram, Imran Khan, and Javed Miandad from those decades.
The 2025 Asia Cup drama highlighted the challenges of separating sport from political disputes but reinforced calls from cricket legends like Kapil Dev to keep the game a unifying platform free from political tensions.
