India, Sept. 6 -- With public outrage brewing over India's scheduled Asia Cup clash against Pakistan on September 14 in Dubai, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia has defended the fixture, citing government policy on participation in multinational tournaments. The criticism stems from the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22, where 26 tourists were killed.

Amid calls for a boycott of the match, including disapproval from former cricketers and fans, Saikia clarified that the Indian cricket board is acting in accordance with guidelines issued by the central government. The revised policy, introduced in August, permits Indian athletes and teams to participate in multinational events featuring countries not on friendly terms w...