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DUBAI: Die-hard India and Pakistan cricket fans thronged the stadium in Dubai despite stifling heat on Sunday to watch the high-profile Asia Cup encounter, saying politics must take a back seat.

The eagerly-awaited Group A clash in the T20 tournament comes four months after the two countries were engaged in a military conflict sparked after April 22 attack in Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir.

The brief war, stopped after US President Donald Trump intervened, brought the two nations to their lowest point in their bitter relations.

But fans said they were there to watch cricket and would leave politics to politicians.

“I am here from Japan and I love both India and Pakistan,” said Pakistan-born Mohammad Javed, an engineer by profession.

“We don’t get to see cricket in Japan but we tour a lot to see these matches irrespective of what’s going on between the two countries.

“I live with Indians and travel with them, and I have no problem with that.”

Arun Tripathi works in Dubai and mingles with Pakistani families.

“It’s the politicians who destroy relations,” said the 50-year-old accountant.

“Why boycott cricket? The politicians do their work and let us enjoy cricket.”

There were calls from hard-liners, former cricketers and the public to boycott the match in the wake of the Pahalgam attack which left 26 people dead.

But New Delhi cleared the match in its sports policy, saying the national team will play Pakistan in multinational events and not in bilateral fixtures.

Since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, blamed on militants based in Pakistan, the two countries have only played a bilateral series in 2012.

Khan Nasir, a taxi driver, accused India of hypocrisy.

“Look at Indians,” he said. “On one hand they want to boycott the match and on the other they have come in large numbers. Their former players wanted the Asia Cup to be called off but they are here as commentators.”

The ring of fire, as Dubai Stadium is called for its floodlights, promises fire in the stands, with the blue color of India dominating the green of Pakistan in the 25,000-capacity venue.

“We will win on the field as well as in the stands,” said Puja Kulkarni, a student in Dubai’s college.

“We are 40 students from the same college and in the same stand, so we will lift our spirits.”

But Pakistan’s Ahmed Fayyaz said one Pakistani is more powerful than 50 Indians.

“We will shout more and we will tell them our strength. We are here to win.”

West Indian superstar Chris Gayle said he hoped for an electrifying atmosphere.

“It’s the #IndvsPak game against & it always brings excitement for fans across the globe,” Gayle tweeted.

“Both teams have moved from their superstars, and it’s the new era for the rivalry.

“The atmosphere will be great & hope for a cracker of a game.”

India’s greats Virat Kolhi, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja retired from T20Is last year while Pakistan left out star batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.

LONDON: British boxing great Ricky Hatton, a former two-division world champion, has died at the age of 46, the World Boxing Association said on Sunday.
Nicknamed ‘the Hitman’, Hatton won the WBA, IBO and IBF light-welterweight titles and the WBA welterweight world championship during his 15-year professional career before retiring in 2012.
He had been due to make a comeback for an event in Dubai this year.
“A true champion, an indomitable spirit and a legend of the sport. Your legacy will live on in every fight and in the hearts of boxing fans around the world,” the WBA posted on Instagram.
Greater Manchester Police said that a body had been found on Sunday morning at an address in Hyde in the northern English city.
“The death is not being treated as suspicious,” a police spokesperson said.
Hatton had 45 wins in 48 bouts over his career but in the years after he retired he said he had tried to kill himself several times and had been open about his struggle with depression, drink and drugs.
“I was coming off the rails with my drinking and that led to drugs. It was like a runaway train,” he told BBC radio in 2016.
Hatton became an ambassador for the mental health charity Campaign Against Living Miserably in 2023.
The crowning moment of Hatton’s career in the ring came in 2005 when he stopped Australian Kostya Tszyu in a brutal duel in Manchester to add the IBF light-welterweight title to the WBU belt he already held.
He had a perfect 43-0 record until he was floored by Floyd Mayweather Jr in Las Vegas in 2007 and was never the same again. Hatton’s second loss came in 2009, when Manny Pacquiao knocked him out.
“I am deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Ricky Hatton. He was not only a great fighter inside the ring but also a brave and kind man in life,” Pacquiao wrote on X.
“We shared unforgettable moments in boxing history and I will always honor the respect and sportsmanship he showed.”
British former light-welterweight world champion Amir Khan described Hatton as “a friend, a mentor, a warrior.”
“Ricky, thank you for everything. For your fights, your moments of glory, your grit. Thank you for pushing us, showing us what’s possible ... you’ll always have your place in the ring of our memories,” Khan said on X.
Hatton was a lifelong Manchester City fan and wore sky blue shorts, matching the soccer club’s colors, in most of his bouts. The Premier League club held a thunderous minute’s appreciation ahead of their derby against Manchester United on Sunday with both sets of supporters paying their respects.
“Ricky was one of City’s most loved and revered supporters ... everyone at the club would like to send our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends,” City added.