Overview

• India and Pakistan are set to meet in a Group A T20 on September 14 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, with toss at 7:30 pm IST and start at 8:00 pm IST.
• Public campaigns urging a boycott have intensified in India after the Pahalgam attack, with petitions, muted ticket sales, and some outlets and personalities pledging not to screen or cover the game.
• BCCI officials say they are adhering to the government’s multilateral‑only stance, while reports point to an “invisible boycott” by limiting official presence, with interim president Rajiv Shukla expected as the lone attendee.
• Coaches have urged players to focus on professionalism, with assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate citing Gautam Gambhir’s message to shut out external noise, as Pakistan voices including Saim Ayub and Wasim Akram downplayed the politics.
• Union ministers argued tournament rules make participation compulsory and noted the Supreme Court declined to urgently hear a plea to halt the tie, as opposition leaders including Asaduddin Owaisi, Arvind Kejriwal, and Uddhav Thackeray condemned the match.