Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary has labelled current head coach Gautam Gambhir as "hypocrite" ahead of the controversial T20 Asia Cup 2025 clash against Pakistan, months after military conflict between two nations following Pahalgam terrorist attack.
Gambhir had often been vocal about forfeiting the match against Pakistan in major tournaments owing to tensions between the two nations. Tiwary wants Gambhir to resign as head coach ahead of the India-Pakistan clash on September 12.
“I always felt that he's someone who is a hypocrite," Manoj Tiwary told CricTracker.
"He's a hypocrite because he's the one who said that India, when he was not the coach of Team India, should never play against Pakistan. What will he do now? He's the coach of the team that's going to play Pakistan in the Asia Cup. Why can't he just resign and say that I will not be part of Team India because you are playing with Pakistan?"
Tiwary’s stance on India-Pakistan clashes
Tiwary does not want India and Pakistan to have cricketing ties until Pakistan take steps to put an end to terrorist organisations of their turf.
"So, when they are not doing enough or they are not trying to finish the terrorist organization, why would you want to play? We have seen so many innocent civilians lose their lives. Army personnel are losing their lives. And I always say that cricket should always go on, but not at the cost of lives, human lives. I feel human lives are more valuable than your cricket match or the TRPs, or the revenues. I think Pakistan has let down the government of India as well and not done enough to curb this terrorist organisation,” the 39-year-old said.
"Until unless these things are settled within the countries or we can see the efforts which they are trying to erase the terrorist organization, we should not play the game of cricket between them. There are so many teams that can easily be played if you really want the revenue or the TRPs or whatever it is. We can bring Australia, England, and South Africa nowadays in a bilateral series and play. Why do you want to play with Pakistan, where we can see such things happening? How easily we can forget what has happened in Pahalgam or so many instances which has happened in our country? It is sad, unfortunate that cricket has taken over human life. It should not have happened,” he added.
At least 2 IND-PAK clashes expected in T20 Asia Cup 2025
In the upcoming T20 Asia Cup 2025, India and Pakistan can go up against each other for a maximum of three times if both of them progress to the final. If India and Pakistan progress from Group A featuring UAE and Oman, they will also lock horns in the Super Fours clash.