Overview

• Aaditya Thackeray said the BCCI’s greed for money outranks the sacrifice of India’s armed forces and criticised its claim to be bound by Asia Cup rules.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi used his Independence Day address from the Red Fort to warn Pakistan that any future terror threats would be met with a crushing military response.
• The Asian Cricket Council and BCCI have confirmed a UAE-based Asia Cup from September 9 to 29, with an India-Pakistan group match set for September 14 in Dubai.
• Former India players Harbhajan Singh and Manoj Tiwary have publicly urged a boycott of the India-Pakistan fixture, citing respect for soldiers who died in the Pahalgam attack.
• Organisers say the T20I format will prepare teams for next year’s World Cup, but they now face escalating political and reputational challenges.