September 14 is the date that fans on both sides of the border are waiting for. India face off against Pakistan in the Asia Cup. It shall be the first time we will see any cricket action since Operation Sindoor which happened in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack. Just months after military escalations and hostilities, these two nations will engage on the cricket field. Even as calls intensify from Indian legends to boycott the game, the truth is we could end up seeing as many as three India vs Pakistan clashes.

Confused? Don’t be, it is not rocket science. After all, there is a method in this madness. So how could they possibly play not once, not twice but thrice? The answer is simpler than you think. It’s all about probability and also the fact that they happen to be in the same group.

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The first game is of course the September 14 clash which is scheduled. Now each group has four teams out of which two qualify for the Super 4s. In India and Pakistan’s group the other two are Oman and hosts UAE, teams that should be easily dispatched by the Men in Blue and Men in Green. In that case, it is most likely that India and Pakistan shall enter the Super 4s along with two sides from the other group.

Now in the Super 4s of the Asia Cup, India and Pakistan will play again as all teams face each other. Then the top two qualify for the final. If India and Pakistan both manage to do that, which can happen since they only have to deal with two other sides, a third encounter shall be on the cards, this time for the title. In fact, if that happens, it shall be the first time we shall see an India v Pakistan Asia Cup final. It’s never happened since the tournament started in 1984, be it in ODIs or T20Is.

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In the midst of boycott calls, the Government of India has made its stance clear about playing Pakistan. There will be no bilateral series but they shall take part in multinational tournaments such as the ODI World Cup, T20 World Cup, Asia Cup and Champions Trophy.

"India's approach to sports events involving Pakistan reflects its overall policy in dealing with that country. So far as bilateral sports events in each other's country are concerned, Indian teams will not be participating in competitions in Pakistan. Nor will we permit Pakistani teams to play in India. With regard to international and multilateral events, in India or abroad, we are guided by the practices of international sports bodies and the interests of our own sportspersons," the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs said in a statement.

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"To position India as a preferred destination for hosting international sporting events, the visa process for sportspersons, team officials, technical personnel, and office-bearers of International Sports Governing Bodies shall be simplified. In respect of office-bearers of International Sports Governing Bodies, a multi-entry visa shall be granted on priority basis for the duration of their official tenure, subject to a maximum period of five years," the statement also said.

“It is also relevant to take into account India's emergence as a credible venue to host international sports events. Accordingly, Indian teams and individual players will take part in international events that also have teams or players from Pakistan. Similarly, Pakistani players and teams will be able to participate in such multilateral events hosted by India," it went on to say.

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Any doubt on India vs Pakistan in the Asia Cup and the cricketing future of the two nations has been dispelled by those in authority. The last time India played Pakistan was in the Champions Trophy where the Men in Blue won. While Pakistan were the hosts, all of India’s games, including the one vs Pakistan were played in UAE. That included the semis and the final.

What is interesting is that while there are calls to call off the game because of hostile relations, we did play Pakistan during a war. That was in 1999 when the soldiers battled it out in Kargil and the players did the same in the ODI World Cup. Back in 1971, Indian and Pakistani players shared the dressing room in the World XI when the nations were at war. So this is nothing in comparison.