Pune: Veteran cricketer Kapil Dev opined that it would be best to leave it to the Union Government to take a decision on whether India should play against Pakistan in the upcoming cricket World Cup. “To play or not to play is something which does not have to be decided by people like us. It has to be decided by the government. It’s better if we don’t give an opinion and leave it to the government and concerned people. Whatever they decide will be in the interest of the nation. We’ll do what they want,” he said at an event here on Friday.
Kapil’s remark comes at a time when multiple demands are being put forth for India to sever cricketing ties with Pakistan in the wake of the dastardly terror attack that claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district on February 14. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had on Friday urged the international cricketing community to sever ties with countries from which terrorism emanates, in a clear reference to Pakistan.
The letter, sent by the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) on behalf of BCCI to the International Cricket Council (ICC), stated: “Most countries from which the members of the ICC hail (including the UK) have strongly condemned this terrorist attack and expressed solidarity with India.” Although the letter did not name any country from which “terrorism emanates”, the reference was clearly to Pakistan from where terror groups have been launching attacks in India.
Regarding the upcoming World Cup, the BCCI said that in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, the Indian board “fears for the safety and security of players and match officials” participating in the global sporting event. Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) has claimed responsibility for the February 14 terror attack.