Gurugram, Sept. 13 -- Former cricketer Atul Wassan weighed in on the backlash surrounding the India-Pakistan clash at the Asia Cup in Dubai on Sunday and said contesting in the fixture is a "necessary evil." He cited the repercussions India could face if it withdraws from the fixture, and impacts the nation's aspiration to host the 2036 Olympics.

Wassan's remarks come amid the outrage over India facing Pakistan in the tournament after the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, during which 26 tourists were killed on April 22 by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists in the name of religion.

To address the issue, the Indian Government reformed its policy regarding sports events involving Pakistan. The government announced that the Indian ...