Cricketing ties between India and Pakistan have taken a toll because of the cross border terrorism between two countries and the recent terror attack on a CRPF jawans’ convoy in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district has made the things worse to a different level. More than soldiers lost their lives as a suicide bomber hit their bus with an explosive-filled car and the incident led to a massive outrage with the bilateral relations worsening further.
Most of the cricketing pundits have given condolences the deaths as well as promised to take care of the aggrieved families. At cricket’s commercial as well, there have been marks of protest affecting the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) which is expected to hit the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) financially hard.
Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Rajeev Shukla has expressed his grief on the dastardly attack in Pulwama and said how the cowardly blood bath in Kashmir could have a damaging effect on the cricketing terms between India and Pakistan. Even the prestigious Cricket Club of India (CCI) decided to cover a portrait of former Pakistan captain Imran Khan, who is currently the prime minister of that country, to protest the attack.
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Talking to Times Now, Shukla said, “Whatever is happening, Imran Khan’s portrait being removed or MFN status revoked is people’s outrage and the reaction is justified.” India withdrew the Most Favoured Nation status to Pakistan which it had granted in 1995 as the aftermath of the attack in Pulwama.
Shukla reckons that he wanted to see cricket remaining separate from politics but opined that the neighboring country has to stop supporting terrorism first before thinking of resuming cricketing ties with India. Their next engagement is at the World Cup in England. It is on June 16 that the arch-rivals are set to lock horns in a league match at Old Trafford in Manchester.
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In 1999, too, India and Pakistan had locked horns in a World Cup game in England when the situation in the subcontinent was tense over the Kargil conflict. Talking about the same, Shukla said, “I’ve always said the sport is above politics but now it will hamper sporting ties too, not until Pakistan sponsored terrorism is stopped. Cannot say now whether we will play Pakistan in the World Cup as it’s too far but our policy and position is very clear, we will wait for the government’s decision.”
