"Blood, Sweat Can't Co-Exist" - Harbhajan Singh Demands India Boycott Pakistan In Asia Cup 2025

Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has called for Suryakumar Yadav and his team to boycott playing Pakistan in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, which begins on September 9 in the UAE.

India and Pakistan are in the same group and are scheduled to meet on September 14 in Dubai. Depending on the results, the arch-rivals could face each other up to three times in the tournament, including the final.

However, Harbhajan believes India should forfeit their match against Pakistan following the recent deterioration in political and diplomatic ties between the two nations after the Pahalgam terror attacks. The 45-year-old was part of the India Champions squad that refused to face Pakistan Champions twice in the World Championship of Legends (WCL), including in the semi-final.

"They need to understand what is important and what is not. This is as simple as that. For me, the soldier who stands on the border, whose family often doesn’t get to see him, who sometimes sacrifices his life and never returns home - their sacrifice is so immense for all of us,” Harbhajan told TOI.

“Compared to that, this is a very small thing - that we can’t even skip playing one cricket match. It’s a very small matter. It cannot be the case that there’s fighting on the border, tensions between the two nations, and we go to play cricket. Until these big issues are resolved, cricket is a very small matter.”

Harbhajan also stressed that the country’s position is clear. "Our government has the same stance, 'Khoon aur paani ek saath nahi beh sakte.' (blood and sweat cannot co-exist). It cannot be the case that there’s fighting on the border, tensions between the two nations, and we go to play cricket. Until these big issues are resolved, cricket is a very small matter. The nation always comes first," he said.

"Whatever our identity is, it’s because of this country. Whether you are a player, an actor, or anyone else - no one is bigger than the nation. The country comes first, and the duties we owe to it must be fulfilled. Not playing a cricket match is nothing compared to the importance of the nation.

"At the border, our brothers are standing, protecting us and our country. Look at their courage, the big hearts with which they serve. Think about what their families go through when they don’t return home. And here we are, playing cricket.

"Hum unko itni importance kyun dete hain? Are they that important? Are they that important ki har news channel unko chalaye? When you have boycotted them, when you don't want to talk to them, then why show them here? This is the duty of the media - to stop this. They shouldn't be adding fuel to the fire.

"As I said, cricketers shouldn't be shaking hands with the Pakistan players, but the media shouldn't be showing them and their reactions on television, either. They are sitting in their country and can say whatever they want, but we shouldn’t be highlighting them.”