Overview

• The Supreme Court refused an urgent plea to cancel the fixture, with Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi saying, “It’s a match, let it be,” after law students led by Urvashi Jain sought to halt it.
• The Group A T20 is scheduled for Sunday in Dubai and will go ahead, with the BCCI noting it follows government policy that permits meetings in multilateral events but bars bilateral contests with Pakistan.
• Ticket uptake has been slow compared with past India–Pakistan games, and India’s opener against the UAE featured largely empty stands at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
• Organisers have reduced standard ticket prices for the match from 475 to 350 dirhams, according to multiple reports, while an Emirates Cricket Board source disputed poor-sales claims and cited thousands sold online within minutes.
• Public voices remain divided, with Kapil Dev urging players to focus on cricket, Harbhajan Singh arguing against cricket and trade with Pakistan until ties improve, and Pakistan coach Mike Hesson stressing team focus for Sunday.