Amid the ongoing row over tomorrow's India vs Pakistan clash in the Asia Cup, BJP MP and former sports minister Anurag Thakur clarified that while India may face Pakistan in multinational tournaments, India's stand on bilateral cricket ties remains unchanged.
Speaking to ANI, Thakur said that India's participation in such matches is driven by tournament rules, not a shift in its diplomatic and national policies.
"When multinational tournaments are organised by ACC or ICC, it becomes a compulsion, a necessity for nations to participate. If they don't do that, they will be eliminated from the tournament, they will have to forfeit the match, and the other team will get the points," said Thakur.
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However, he was firm about India's long-standing position on bilateral series with Pakistan.
"But India doesn't play bilateral tournaments with Pakistan. We have made this decision for years that India won't play bilateral tournaments with Pakistan until Pakistan stops terrorist attacks on India," he added.
Opposition demands cancellation of India-Pak match
{{/usCountry}}"But India doesn't play bilateral tournaments with Pakistan. We have made this decision for years that India won't play bilateral tournaments with Pakistan until Pakistan stops terrorist attacks on India," he added.
Opposition demands cancellation of India-Pak match
{{/usCountry}}Thakur's clarification came amid calls from opposition parties, including AIMIM and Shiv Sena (UBT), among others, to cancel India's match with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Opposition parties have slammed the BJP and the BCCI over the September 14 India-Pakistan Asia Cup cricket match.
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Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray announced that his party will protest against the match on Sunday, adding, “blood and cricket cannot flow together."
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Congress on Friday called it an insult to the kin of those killed in the Pahalgam terror attack and soldiers who have been martyred in the line of duty.
The Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) said the government's dual standards had been exposed after it allowed the match to proceed.
The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a request to urgently list a plea seeking an interim stay on the cricket match between India and Pakistan, which is scheduled to take place in Dubai on September 14.