Union Sports Ministers Anurag Thakur said the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had earlier decided that a bilateral cricket series between India and Pakistan would not take place until Pakistan puts an end to “terrorism” after the Anantnag encounter. Speaking to reporters, Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur said, “BCCI had decided much earlier that we would not play bilateral matches with Pakistan until they put an end to terrorism, cross-border attacks and infiltration. I think the feelings of the country and that of Pakistan’s public is also the same.”
The statement comes after three top Indian security personnel were recently killed in a gunfight during Anantnag’s encounter with Pakistan-based terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, which has enraged the entire country.
An Army Colonel commanding a Quick Response Team (QRT) of the Rashtriya Rifles lost his life during the ongoing gunfight in Anantnag district. An Army Major and a Deputy Superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police also came under enemy fire in the Kokernag area.
The senior army officers and the DSP were identified as Colonel Manpreet Singh, Major Ashish Dhonak and Humayun Bhat.
India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series since 2012-13, after which bilateral cricket ties between India and Pakistan were suspended due to heightened diplomatic tensions between the two neighbors.
Earlier this month, BCCI President Roger Binny and Vice President Rajeev Shukla traveled to Pakistan following an invitation to members of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and other cricket boards by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to attend the Asia Cup matches taking place in Lahore. They also met players from teams from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka during a gala dinner.
Shukla said the visit was good and the hospitality of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was good. The board had demanded resumption of cricket ties between India and Pakistan, but the decision would be taken by the Centre.
“It was a two-day visit and a good visit. The Governor organized a dinner in our honor. The hospitality of the people of the Pakistan Cricket Board was also good. Their demand was that cricket should be resumed between the two countries. He said that it would be decided by the government and that we would do whatever our government would say. It was a cricket visit and there was no political agenda,” Shukla said.
The Pakistan cricket team will visit India next month to play the 50-over World Cup, including a league match against India in Ahmedabad on October 14.
Last year, BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced that India will not travel to play the 2023 Asia Cup, which will be hosted by Pakistan and played at a neutral venue.
As a result, a hybrid model was adopted for the Asia Cup.
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