Short answers, pulled from the story.
The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan.
Citizens of Pakistan became independent of British India in 1947 while Bangladesh became independent of Pakistan in 1971. Since the Partition of India citizens of Pakistan often perceive the use of the Indian subcontinent as offensive and suspicious because of the dominant placement of India in the term.
The term Indian subcontinent is more of a geophysical term whereas South Asia is more geopolitical. Although the terms are often used interchangeably to denote a wider region which includes Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, the Indian subcontinent excludes Afghanistan even in extended usage.
Since the Partition of India citizens of Pakistan which was carved out of India in 1947 and has had recurring conflicts with India since then often perceive the use of the Indian subcontinent as offensive and suspicious because of the dominant placement of India in the term. The political leadership and the policy-makers in these two countries do not wish to be reminded of this common heritage.
Cricket introduced to the region by the British is notably popular in India Pakistan Sri Lanka Nepal Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Within a cricket context these countries are sometimes referred to simply as the subcontinent for example Australia's tour of the subcontinent.