Overview:
All is not well between the two countries, and this year’s Asia Cup is in limbo. The BCCI will need clearance from the government to play in the tournament.
Former Pakistan fast bowler Abdur Rauf Khan slammed the Indian players after they said no to a match against Pakistan in the second season of the World Championship of Legends. The game, which was supposed to be played on June 20 at Edgbaston, was called off after the Indian players refused to play the contest.
Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan and Yusuf Pathan, and Shikhar Dhawan were not interested in competing against the arch-rivals due to the Pahalgam terror attack.
However, Rauf hit back at the Indian players for their double standards. “You show the fans that you won’t play each other, but behind the scenes, you travel together and go shopping. This is not fair. They hang around together, eat together, and party together. When it comes to playing a game, they try to show a different picture in front of the world,” Rauf said.
“Indian players feel it. We have been playing together and even shared dressing rooms and eaten together. We are friends off the field. The boycott stance creates unnecessary hype,” he added.
“The fans who want to watch the contest are left disappointed. It is not good for cricket. We owe a lot to the game and the fans.”
All is not well between the two countries, and this year’s Asia Cup is in limbo. The BCCI will need clearance from the government to play in the tournament.
Rauf, who has played three Tests, four ODIs, and one T20I for Pakistan, urged India not to mix politics with cricket.
“Keep pilitics and cricket separate. Tension can stop cricket for a year or two but once the situation gets normal, the matches should resume. Both governments should sign an agreement that cricket and other sports will continue despite non-favourable external conditions.”
“You can’t stop playing against each other on a permanent basis. Political issues will always be there but let sports florish,” he mentioned.
“The issues between India and Pakistan have been going on for a long time and it is the fans, who suffer the most. I think there should be an agreement between the two countries on the contunination of the bilateral series and the ICC tournaments,” he concluded.
