Because of the Kashmir Issue and Pakistan’s stance on it, there are hardly any bilateral talks taking place between the neighbors. However, the grudges aren’t new. There has been a pause to India-Pakistan bilateral Cricket for quite a long time.
The last time India-Pakistan played a bilateral cricket series was back in 2012. India hosted Pakistan for a limited-over series. In the tour, the teams played T20Is and three ODIs. It seems like quite a boycott. 7 years and no cricket between the two most cricket crazy nations? That’s actually zulm.
Ganguly Intends To Improve India-Pakistan Bilateral Cricket Ties
Anyway, that happened. But now Sourav Ganguly, the to-be BCCI president, thinks it should change. He will take charge on October 23. And he says that India-Pakistan bilateral cricket needs to be improved. Also, making a point that it can only happen with the permission of the government on both sides.
His said that this decision can be taken by the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan. So, Narendra Modi and Imran Khan should talk.
On Tuesday Sourav Ganguly replied to a question at a media briefing in Kolkata. The question was about the resumption of India-Pakistan bilateral ties.
“You have to ask that question to Modi Ji and the Pakistan Prime Minister. Of course, we have (to take permission), because international exposure (tours) is all through governments. So we don’t have an answer to that question,” responded Ganguly.
India Boycotting Pakistan In World Cup
However, this is almost the first time BCCI has expressed the wish to resume India-Pakistan bilateral cricket. Before the World Cup BCCI had written a letter to ICC “to sever ties with countries from which terrorism emanates”. It clearly depicts their intention regarding the cricketing future of team Pakistan.
The stand of BCCI behind this statement was the so-called terror strikes in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir. Anyhow, they took that statement back later because it was more loss to them than Pakistan.
CoA chief Vinod Rai explained in an interview,
“If we don’t play Pakistan (in the World Cup), we lose one point, two points, and that doesn’t matter. But suppose Pakistan comes up in the semi-final and we withdraw. Isn’t that shooting yourself in the foot? We would be closing avenues for ourselves. Which, I thought, was an incorrect move. So I said, rather than shooting ourselves in the foot, let’s isolate them,” later said in an interview clarifying BCCI’s stand.
India-Pakistan bilateral cricket series is something the whole world’s interest. It’s the most intriguing game. The spirits are really high. So the resumption of the ties would fill the world of cricket with good spirit again.
It won’t be a problem from Pakistan’s side. Because the country has already in the recent past displayed good spirit. Despite being in the middle of a chaotic relation with India, Pakistan didn’t stop the construction of Kartarpur Corridor.
So, its probably only India that would have to change its boycotting policies a bit.
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