Former India cricketer and Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister Chetan Chauhan said on Wednesday, February 20, that pulling out of the Pakistan match in the 2019 World Cup will land India in trouble.
In the wake of the Pulwama terror attack which claimed the lives of at least 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans, the tensions between Pakistan and India has reached boiling point. Pakistan terror outfit Jaish-e-Muhammad took responsibility for the suicide bombing mission which happened in the Lethpora area of Pulwama district on the Srinagar-Jammu Highway. The tragic incident took place on February 14 around 3:15 PM when an explosive-laden SUV rammed into a bus carrying CRPF troopers.
Talking to ANI, Chauhan said that every tournament has its own set of rules and if the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decides to pull out of the tie, it may lead to the team being banned for two or three years. "Government should advice the BCCI as every tournament has its own rules. Since a lot of countries would be participating (ICC members), we might have to face consequences, bear the losses or face two or three-year ban if India withdraws or does not play against Pakistan," Chauhan told ANI.
The 2019 World Cup is slated to begin on May 30 in England and the final will be played in the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground on July 14. India is scheduled to take on Pakistan in the round-robin stage on June 16 at Old Trafford in Manchester. Chauhan said that he would have vehemently opposed playing against Pakistan had the tournament been hosted by either country but since the quadrennial event is held at a neutral venue, India should go ahead and play the match.
"Had it been in Pakistan, I would have readily said not to play or had it been in India, I would have said do not call Pakistan in the wake of attack on our soldiers. But the tournament will be hosted in England and World Cup is something which is decided eight or ten years in advance," he said.
On the same topic, ANI quoted a BCCI source earlier today, "Situation will get clearer after some time, a little closer to the World Cup. ICC has nothing to do with it. If the government at that point in time feels we shouldn't play, it's obvious that we won't play."
Meanwhile, ICC has said that there has been no indication from either BCCI or PCB that the match will be boycotted while adding that they will continue to "monitor the situation".
