The Supreme Court of India on Thursday declined to urgently hear a petition seeking cancellation of the upcoming India-Pakistan Asia Cup T20 match, scheduled for September 14 in Dubai.
Court declines urgent listing
The matter was mentioned before a bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi by a lawyer representing the petitioners, who sought urgent listing of the plea. The bench, however, dismissed the request, observing: “What is the urgency? It’s a match, let it be. Match is this Sunday -- what can we do about that? Let it be. The match should go on.”
The court made it clear that it would not intervene, and the much-anticipated encounter would proceed as scheduled.
Petition filed by law students
The plea was filed as a public interest litigation (PIL) by four law students led by Urvashi Jain. It argued that organizing a cricket match with Pakistan so soon after the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor would send a message “inconsistent with national dignity and public sentiment.”
The petition claimed that while cricket between nations is often seen as a gesture of harmony, playing against Pakistan in the current context would hurt the morale of the armed forces and the families of victims.
Arguments against fixture
The petition stated:
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Hosting the match could “hurt the sentiments of victims’ families” who lost loved ones in terror incidents.
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Allowing cricket to continue would suggest “entertainment is being prioritized over national security and the sacrifices of soldiers.”
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The game would be “detrimental to national interests” and send the wrong message internationally.
Match to proceed in Dubai
Despite the concerns raised, the Supreme Court bench refused to entertain the request for urgent listing. With this decision, the high-profile India-Pakistan Asia Cup T20 clash remains set for Sunday in Dubai.
