Sachin Tendulkar’s view echoes that of Sunil Gavaskar who said that Pakistan win if India decide against playing them at the World Cup. (Source: File Photo)Sachin Tendulkar has pitched in on the debate around India’s scheduled World Cup group stage match against Pakistan. In a message posted on his twitter handle, the batting great said that he would “hate” see India forfeit their match against Pakistan and concede two points.
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) 22 February 2019
“India has always come up trumps against Pakistan in the World Cup. Time to beat them once again. Would personally hate to give them two points and help them in the tournament,” said Tendulkar. India thus far have a 100 percent record against Pakistan in World Cup meetings between the two countries.
“Having said that, for me India always comes first, so whatever my country decides, I will back that decision with all my heart,” said the former India captain.
Tendulkar’s view echoes that of Sunil Gavaskar who said that Pakistan win if India decide against playing them at the World Cup. “Who wins if India decide against playing Pakistan in the World Cup? And I am not even talking about the semis and the finals. Who wins? Pakistan win because they get two points,” Gavaskar had told ‘India Today’.
“India have so far beaten Pakistan every time in a World Cup, so we are actually conceding two points when by beating Pakistan, we could make sure that they don’t advance in the competition,” he had said.
The World Cup begins in the United Kingdom on May 30 and India are scheduled to play Pakistan on June 16. However, since the terror attack in Pulwama that claimed the lives of over 40 CRPF jawans, there have been calls for India to boycott the match, most notably from former cricketers Harbhajan Singh and Sourav Ganguly.
