Earlier in the week, India’s sports ministry said the clash between India and Pakistan during the Asia Cup would go on without any interruptions. However, both sides will not take on each other in the bilateral tournament going forward. The high-octane clash is scheduled on October 14, with a possible chance of the teams meeting again later in the tournament.
Reacting to the statement made by the ministry, former Indian cricketer Manoj Tiwary expressed his discontent. “I am a little surprised that this match is going to happen… After the Pahalgam attack, in which so many innocent civilians were killed, and then the war that followed, a lot of talk was going on that this time we will give a befitting reply,” Tiwary told ANI.
“Despite this, after a few months, everything has been forgotten… I find it hard to believe that this match is happening, that the value of a human life can be zero. What do they want to achieve by playing with Pakistan?… The value of a human life should be more than sports… There is no question of me watching the match at all…” he added.
Green flag
On Thursday with regard to India’s sporting engagements with Pakistan. It said that sporting teams and individuals from the two countries won’t visit each other for bilateral contests.
“In so far as bilateral sports events in each other’s country are concerned, Indian teams will not be participating in competitions in Pakistan. Nor will we permit Pakistani teams to play in India,” the policy stated.
But with India aspiring to host major international multi-sport events, including the 2036 Summer Olympics, such restrictions may not apply to multilateral competitions.
“With regard to international and multilateral events, in India or abroad, we are guided by the practices of international sports bodies and the interest of our own sportspersons. It is also relevant to take into account India’s emergence as a credible venue to host international sports events. Accordingly, Indian teams and individual players will take part in international events that also have teams or players from Pakistan. Similarly, Pakistani players and teams will be able to participate in such multilateral events hosted by India,” read the policy document accessed by The Indian Express.
