🌍 A Rivalry Bigger Than Cricket
Whenever India and Pakistan step on the cricket field, the world stops to watch. Beyond boundaries and sixes, it’s a battle of history, emotions, and pride. But ahead of the Asia Cup 2025 clash in Dubai, controversy erupted when Punjab Kings (an IPL franchise) released a promotional banner for the India–Pakistan fixture — showing India’s logo only while completely omitting Pakistan’s.
Fans across the globe were quick to react, calling it politically motivated, disrespectful, and humiliating for the game’s spirit.
This detailed Cricketory blog breaks down:
✅ What exactly happened
✅ Fan reactions on social media
✅ The political angle behind the snub
✅ Historical India-Pakistan cricket controversies
✅ Squads, stats & match preview
✅ Why cricket needs balance beyond politics
🎭 The Controversy Explained
The Asia Cup 2025 match between India 🇮🇳 and Pakistan 🇵🇰 is scheduled at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium — one of the most iconic venues for subcontinental clashes.
But instead of promoting cricket, the Punjab Kings franchise stirred up a storm by releasing a digital poster that:
- Highlighted India’s team and logo 🟢
- Completely ignored Pakistan’s team identity ❌
- Used hashtags referring only to India
This naturally led to accusations of bias, with fans claiming it was an intentional snub against Pakistan.
💬 Fan Reactions: Outrage on Social Media
Twitter (X), Instagram, and Facebook were flooded with angry reactions:
🔥 “Why accept defeat before the match? Pakistan is a real team, not invisible.”
🔥 “This is pure politics in cricket.”
🔥 “Respect opponents — this is against the spirit of the game.”
Some even argued that such behavior “only humiliates the organizers themselves” while others accused IPL franchises of being politically influenced.
🏏 India vs Pakistan: More Than Just a Game
To understand why the controversy blew up, we need to recognize the magnitude of an India–Pakistan game.
📊 India vs Pakistan in T20 Internationals (as of 2025):
| Format | Matches Played | India Wins 🇮🇳 | Pakistan Wins 🇵🇰 | No Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T20Is | 13 | 10 | 3 | 0 |
| ODIs | 132 | 56 | 73 | 3 |
| Tests | 59 | 9 | 12 | 38 |
👉 Despite Pakistan’s strength historically in ODIs, India has dominated T20 cricket, which adds even more pressure on this Asia Cup clash.
⚡ Historical India-Pakistan Cricket Controversies
This isn’t the first time off-field politics have spilled into cricket. Some examples:
1️⃣ World Championship of Legends (2024): India Champions refused to play Pakistan Champions in league and semifinal stages.
2️⃣ World Cup 2019: Some Indian fans called for a boycott of Pakistan matches after political tensions.
3️⃣ Champions Trophy 2017: India lost the final to Pakistan, and several Indian ex-cricketers urged for cutting ties in future tournaments.
👉 The Punjab Kings incident adds to this long list, further showing how politics and cricket remain deeply entangled.
📋 The Squads: Asia Cup 2025 Clash Preview
🇵🇰 Pakistan Squad
- Salman Agha (capt)
- Abrar Ahmed
- Faheem Ashraf
- Fakhar Zaman
- Haris Rauf
- Hasan Ali
- Hasan Nawaz
- Hussain Talat
- Khushdil Shah
- Mohammad Haris (wk)
- Mohammad Nawaz
- Mohammad Wasim
- Sahibzada Farhan
- Saim Ayub
- Salman Mirza
- Shaheen Shah Afridi
- Sufiyan Muqeem
🇮🇳 India Squad
- Suryakumar Yadav (c)
- Shubman Gill (vc)
- Abhishek Sharma
- Tilak Varma
- Hardik Pandya
- Shivam Dube
- Axar Patel
- Jitesh Sharma (wk)
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Arshdeep Singh
- Varun Chakaravarthy
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Sanju Samson (wk)
- Harshit Rana
- Rinku Singh
👉 Key Battle to Watch: Shaheen Afridi vs Shubman Gill — pace vs technique.
🔥 Cricketory Insights: Why This Snub Matters
At Cricketory, we believe cricket should be:
✅ Competitive, not divisive — Rivalries should stay on the pitch, not in posters.
✅ Respectful to opponents — A true champion never ignores the opposition.
✅ Global in spirit — The world watches India–Pakistan games; any bias damages cricket’s brand internationally.
Insight #1: Punjab Kings may have gained short-term publicity, but they risk alienating millions of fans worldwide, especially Pakistan supporters.
Insight #2: The controversy overshadows the players’ efforts. Instead of discussing Saim Ayub’s rise or Bumrah’s comeback, fans are debating politics.
Insight #3: Such snubs could set a precedent, where sporting culture suffers, and cricket loses its neutrality.
📊 Recent Form: India vs Pakistan 2025
| Team | Last 5 Matches | Result Summary |
|---|---|---|
| India 🇮🇳 | W, L, W, W, W | Strong momentum with batting depth |
| Pakistan 🇵🇰 | L, W, L, W, W | Inconsistent but dangerous on big days |
👉 Both sides enter with different energies, but form often means little in India–Pakistan clashes. Pressure and temperament matter more.
📰 Media and Political Angle
Indian media largely ignored the omission, while Pakistani outlets amplified the criticism, framing it as an “intentional insult.”
Some analysts argue that IPL franchises like Punjab Kings may try to align with political sentiment in India, especially ahead of major elections.
Others warn that such actions harm cricket diplomacy, which historically has been a rare bridge between the two nations.
❓ FAQs on the Punjab Kings Snub
Q1: Why did Punjab Kings leave out Pakistan’s logo?
👉 No official explanation, but fans believe it was politically motivated.Q2: Has this happened before?
👉 Yes, Indian teams/franchises have avoided Pakistan branding in past tournaments too.Q3: How has Pakistan reacted officially?
👉 The PCB hasn’t released a formal statement yet, but fans and journalists condemned it strongly.Q4: Will this affect the Asia Cup clash?
👉 On the field, no — but off the field, it has added spice and tension to the buildup.Q5: Who has the better record in T20Is?
👉 India leads 10–3 against Pakistan in T20 internationals.🏁 Conclusion: Keep Cricket Above Politics
The Punjab Kings’ snub of Pakistan’s logo before the Asia Cup 2025 clash is more than just a design choice — it reflects how cricket’s greatest rivalry often gets hijacked by off-field politics.
But at the heart of it, fans want to see Shaheen Afridi steaming in against Suryakumar Yadav, not political controversies dominating headlines.
👉 Cricketory Take: Respecting opponents is not weakness — it’s the essence of true sportsmanship. Whether it’s India, Pakistan, or any other nation, cricket deserves to remain a game that unites, not divides.
As millions tune in this Sunday, let’s hope the Asia Cup 2025 clash is remembered not for posters and politics but for the cricketing brilliance on the field.