Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Sunday took a hardline stance on India's T20 World Cup match against Pakistan, saying the neighbouring Pakistan should be treated as an enemy.
"Pakistan is the enemy of our country, and it should be treated like that only. We have no dealings with them. Those who are on the border know how Pakistan is fighting a proxy war against India," Randhawa, who comes from the border district of Gurdaspur in Punjab, said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut was more ballistic in his allegations, saying India-Pakistan cricket matches generate massive betting proceeds.
The match is scheduled for Sunday, February 15, evening in Colombo.
"This is not an India-Pakistan match. This is a Jay Shah vs Pakistan match. The people of India do not want it," Raut said at a press conference in Mumbai, naming ICC chief, whose father Amit Shah is India's home minister and considered second to PM Narendra Modi. Jay Shah has not yet responded to the statement.
India vs Pakistan at WC T20 group stage
The statements come after Pakistan reversed its decision to boycott the group-stage fixture. The Pakistan team had initially decided to skip the match in solidarity with Bangladesh, which exited the tournament after the ICC rejected its request to shift venues outside India due to “security concerns”. The row began after BJP politicians and Hindutva rightwing groups cited killings of Hindus in Bangladesh, and objected to IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders, owned by actor Shah Rukh Khan, contracting a Bangladeshi player.
{{/usCountry}}The statements come after Pakistan reversed its decision to boycott the group-stage fixture. The Pakistan team had initially decided to skip the match in solidarity with Bangladesh, which exited the tournament after the ICC rejected its request to shift venues outside India due to “security concerns”. The row began after BJP politicians and Hindutva rightwing groups cited killings of Hindus in Bangladesh, and objected to IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders, owned by actor Shah Rukh Khan, contracting a Bangladeshi player.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi, also a minister in the Shehbaz Sharif government, will attend Sunday's match and is expected to hold discussions with ICC officials on the sidelines, news agency PTI reported. Naqvi had infamously taken away the Asia Cup trophy last October after Team India refused to accept it from him in his capacity as the Asian Cricket Council chairman.