The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to grant urgent listing of a petition seeking cancellation of the upcoming India-Pakistan cricket match in the Asia Cup, scheduled for September 14 in Dubai.
A bench of Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi dismissed the request for urgent hearing, observing that no extraordinary urgency was made out.
When the petition was mentioned for urgent listing, the bench remarked:
“What is the urgency? It’s a match, let it be. Match is this Sunday, what can be done?”
The judges further noted that even if the matter was heard on Friday, the match would still proceed as scheduled. “Match is this Sunday? What can we do about that? Let it be. Match should go on,” the bench observed.
The plea was filed by four law students led by Urvashi Jain, who argued that holding a cricket match with Pakistan in the aftermath of the recent Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor was inconsistent with national dignity and public sentiment.
The petitioners contended that sports between nations are symbolic of harmony and friendship. However, in the present circumstances, playing a cricket match with Pakistan would send โthe opposite messageโthat while Indian soldiers risk their lives, we are celebrating sports with the same country sheltering terrorists.โ
The plea further argued that the match could hurt the sentiments of the families of the victims of terrorism. โThe dignity of the nation and security of citizens come before entertainment,โ the petition stated.
According to the petitioners, organising the India-Pakistan clash would be โdetrimental to the national interestsโ and demoralising for the armed forces. They urged the court to intervene and cancel the fixture to safeguard national pride and the morale of soldiers.
India and Pakistan are slated to meet on September 14 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium as part of the 2025 Asia Cup, one of the most anticipated fixtures in the tournament.
With the Supreme Court declining to list the matter urgently, the high-voltage contest is set to proceed as planned.
