Sunil Gavaskar’s Asia Cup comments draw strong reaction from former Pakistan players

Several former Pakistani cricketers have strongly reacted to recent comments made by Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar about Pakistan’s participation in the Asia Cup 2025. Among them are big names like Javed Miandad, Iqbal Qasim, and Basit Ali, who all expressed disappointment over Gavaskar’s remarks.

In a recent interview with an Indian news channel, Gavaskar raised doubts about Pakistan taking part in the upcoming Asia Cup, which is scheduled to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka in September. He said that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) usually follows the Indian government’s decisions, suggesting that current political tensions could prevent Pakistan from joining the tournament.

“BCCI’s stance has always followed the Indian government's direction. If the situation hasn’t changed, I don’t see Pakistan taking part in the Asia Cup,” Gavaskar said.

He also speculated about the future of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), saying it could be disbanded and replaced with smaller tournaments involving three or four teams.

These statements did not sit well with former Pakistan cricketers. Javed Miandad expressed shock at the comments.

“I can’t believe Sunny bhai said that,” Miandad remarked. 

“He’s always been a respectful and grounded person who avoided political matters," he added. 

Former spinner Iqbal Qasim agreed with Miandad and even questioned whether Gavaskar had been misquoted.

“Gavaskar is respected on both sides of the border. Sports should never be mixed with politics,” Qasim said.

Basit Ali, however, had a stronger reaction. He called Gavaskar’s comments “stupid” and urged people to avoid making such claims without evidence.

“Let things be clear first. Cricket should rise above political issues,” Basit added.

It’s worth noting that the Asia Cup 2025, the 17th edition of the tournament, is scheduled to be held in September. The event will feature eight teams. The five full ACC members — Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka — have already qualified, while Hong Kong, Oman, and the UAE secured their spots through the 2024 ACC Men’s Premier Cup.