The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to give an urgent hearing to a petition seeking cancellation of the Asia Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan scheduled for September 14 in Dubai.

A lawyer argued that since the match is on Sunday, the petition must be heard on Friday, otherwise it would become meaningless. The bench of Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi responded, “There is a match this Sunday? What can we do about it? Let it happen. The match should happen.”

The petition was filed by four law students led by Urvashi Jain. They contended that holding a cricket match with Pakistan, soon after the Pahalgam terrorist attack and Operation Sindoor, sends a wrong message against national dignity and public sentiment.

The plea stated that while the purpose of cricket between countries is to promote goodwill and friendship, organising such a match at this time would be hurtful to the families of those who lost their lives in terror attacks. It argued that the dignity of the nation and safety of citizens should come before entertainment, and that the match would be “detrimental to national interests and the morale of the armed forces.”