Kapil Dev urges fans not to make India-Pakistan clash a ‘big issue’

Former India captain and World Cup winner Kapil Dev has called on players and fans to focus on cricket and not turn the upcoming India-Pakistan Asia Cup clash into a political controversy. The fixture, scheduled for Sunday, has triggered heated debate in India since the Asia Cup draw was announced. Some groups opposed the idea of playing Pakistan, citing anger over the Pahalgam terror attack. Four law students even petitioned a court to scrap the match, though their plea was rejected. Tensions had already surfaced last month when India skipped veterans’ matches against Pakistan, including a group stage tie and a semi-final. Calls for a boycott of the Asia Cup encounter soon gained momentum. However, the Indian sports ministry cleared...