"The India-Pakistan rivalry turned the Asia Cup into a battlefield for nationalist politics. Is there hope for change? Islamabad, Pakistan When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed parliament on July 29, more than two months after the four-day May clash with Pakistan, he hailed India's military action dubbed Operation Sindoor as a victory, but said it was not over. Operation Sindoor remains active and resolute, Modi said during his 102-minute address."
"Two months later, after India beat Pakistan in a gripping Asia Cup cricket final on September 28, Modi invoked the spectre of war again while congratulating the victors. Operation Sindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same India wins! Congrats to our cricketers, he posted on X. #OperationSindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same India wins! Congrats to our cricketers. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 28, 2025"
"Modi's comments capped weeks of bitter acrimony, both on and off the field, that came to dominate a tournament that began amid bitterness. The flashpoint after the final was India's decision not to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, who is the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chair as well as the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman and, significantly, Pakistan's federal minister for interior, one of the most powerful civilian positions in the country."
Nationalist tensions between India and Pakistan transformed the Asia Cup into a politically charged event, with sporting outcomes reframed as national victories. Narendra Modi described a May military action as "Operation Sindoor" and later invoked the same phrase after India's win in the Asia Cup final, equating a cricket victory with state resolve. The Indian board refused to accept the trophy from ACC chair Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan's interior minister, escalating diplomatic friction. Weeks of acrimony on and off the field dominated the tournament and illustrated how cricket has been weaponized for nationalist political signaling.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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