Although India and Pakistan appear to have arrived at a ceasefire agreement after a brief four-day military skirmish, it seems that their animosity has found a new outlet: Cricket.
Indian sources claim that the country’s cricket board is considering pulling out of the Asia Cup set to take place in September this year due to the fact that the Asian Cricket Council is led by Mohsin Naqvi, a Pakistani minister who also serves as the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
In the recent news, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to withdraw from the Emerging Women’s Team Asia Cup in Sri Lanka next month, followed by the Men’s Asia Cup in September, as per an Indian Express report.
“We know that the Indian team cannot participate in an event where they are clashed under the auspices of the ACC led by a Pakistan minister,” said a BCCI representative to the media in India.
юBanks’ comment captures the feelings of the public. India has informed ACC about its withdrawal from the Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup and its subsequent participation in their events is currently suspended. We communicate with the Government of India on a daily basis.”
India also did not go to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this year due to security issues.
Eventually a hybrid approach was taken with all of India’s matches, including the semifinal and the final, held in Dubai with India’s Indian team claiming victory in March this year.
Given that the two South Asian countries, who have fought three full-blown wars in the past, have become increasingly rare in recent years, these two countries have only competed in ICC events and the Asia Cup as India continues to avoid bilateral match with their rivals.
Due to the deteriorating diplomatic tensions following the terror attack in Pahalgam which claimed 26 lives, matches between the two teams at continental and global stages may risk being axed.