ICC passes verdict on India-Pakistan match: ICC have disclosed as to why India will have to play their World match vs Pakistan.
Following the unfortunate Pulwama attacks last month, there was a lot said about the India-Pakistan clash scheduled to happen during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. The opinion coming out from India was predominantly against playing Pakistan during the world event in June.
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The list of eminent personalities which had shared their view on the same included some former Indian cricketers as well. While many of them talked about how India can afford to lose a couple of points in the league stage, no one really passed a verdict whether India should persist with their stand during the knockout phase or not.
In a recent interview with The Times of India, ICC CEO Dave Richardson brought into discussion the MPA (Member’s Participation Agreement) and spoke as to why India will have to go ahead with the match during the World Cup.
“For ICC events, all teams have signed a Members’ Participation Agreement, which requires them to participate in all the matches of the tournament and [in case of] any unjustified non-compliance with that provision, the playing conditions will kick in and the points will be awarded accordingly [to the other team],” Richardson was quoted as saying.
“Military caps was a one-off consent”
During the third ODI of the recently concluded Australia’s tour of India at Ranchi, the Indian cricket team had donned camouflage caps to pay tribute to the martyrs of the Pulwama attack. Citing the same, several Pakistani minister had criticized India’s move and urged the ICC to interfere.
Being asked about the same, Richardson made public the fact that the whole gesture was a one-off consent and that the Indian team had asked permission for the same beforehand. “In this case, it was a one-off consent,” Richardson said.
“It was granted subject to the message around the wearing of the caps simply being sympathy with the people, who had lost their lives in the [Pulwama] attack and in particular, to help them raise funds for the families of the people who had lost their lives. The ICC’s motto is clear. We don’t want to mix politics with sports,” he further said.
Gautam Gambhir wants unconditional ban on Pakistan
In a recent interview with Times Now, former India opening batsman Gautam Gambhir opened up on whether India should play against Pakistan during the World Cup or not. The southpaw was of the opinion that India should put unconditional bans on Pakistan for the love of the soldiers.
“We should also boycott the Asia cup so we don’t play Pakistan. No problem in forfeiting 2 points India-Pak match but the entire country should then stand behind the team and not blame them for not making it to the semis or finals.
“That certain section who say the sport is over politics need not be considered. Nothing is bigger than the loves of the soldiers for me. We can’t put conditional bans on Pakistan, we should stop everything,” Gambhir was quoted as saying.
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