Asia Cup 2025: IND vs PAK: Why Gautam Gambhir said this match was important
India defeated Pakistan by seven wickets in the league match of Asia Cup 2025. After the match, coach Gautam Gambhir has given a statement in which he made a mention of Pahalgam attack.
Before the match, there was a demand in India to boycott it. Many political parties and the families of the victims of the Pahalgam attack had also raised questions on the match. Their argument was that India should boycott Pakistan in every way.
The game was played in a tense atmosphere with calls for a boycott in the country, as the match was just played a few months after the Pahalgam terrorist attack and Operation Sindoor. While the match went ahead, Gambhir came out and paid tribute to the Indian Armed Forces after the game, while also showing solidarity with the victims of the barbaric act.
Gautam Gambhir said, "It was a good win. There is still a lot of cricket left. This match was also important because as a team we wanted to show solidarity with the families of the victims of the Pahalgam attack."
Gambhir said, "And more importantly, we want to thank our armed forces for their successful 'Operation Sindoor'. We will try to keep our country proud and happy."
Suryakumar Yadav dedicated the victory to Indian Army
Gambhir's remarks came after Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav's similar remarks in the post-match press conference, where he dedicated the victory to the Indian Army, as well as showing solidarity with the families of the victims of the Pahalgam attacks.
Indian team made a strong symbolic act
Meanwhile, the Indian team made a strong symbolic act as they refused the customary post-match handshake after the match, as Indian captain Suryakumar walked back to the dressing room after scoring the winning runs alongside non-striker Shivam Dube. Visuals showed the entire team walked into the dressing room without meeting any Pakistan player or staff member. While it was reported that the Salman Ali Agha-led side did make their way to interact with the Indian players but the door was closed by the Men in Blu
In this match played at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Pakistan batted first and set a target of 128 runs in 20 overs for India to win. India achieved this target in 15.5 overs by losing only three wickets.