In the wake of Pulwama terror attack, many Indians have protested against the India vs Pakistan match in the upcoming World Cup. However, the former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar has suggested that India should play the World Cup match against Pakistan and beat them in that contest.
Since January 2013, India and Pakistan haven’t played any bilateral series in international cricket. At present, they only meet in the ICC or ACC tournaments. According to the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup schedule, India and Pakistan will meet on 16 June at Old Trafford (Manchester).
But since the Pulwama terror attack, which happened on 14 February and where more than 40 soldiers have lost their lives, many Indians have called for the boycott the India-Pakistan game in the upcoming World Cup. Even many former Indian cricketers have also come up with the same voice to boycott that game.
However, Sunil Gavaskar has a different opinion on this matter. He has pointed out that India’s forfeiting that game means Pakistan will earn two points even without playing that game. Sunil Gavaskar has advised that to beat Pakistan in that game and also to assure that they can’t advance for the semi-finals of that tournament. The legendary Indian cricketer believes that India is strong enough to beat Pakistan in the World Cup.
Sunil Gavaskar told India Today, “If India decide not to play Pakistan in the World Cup, who wins? Pakistan will get two points. We have beaten them every time in World Cups. We can play them and beat them and make sure they don’t reach the semi-finals. Not playing bilateral series vs Pakistan hurts them.
“I know India are strong enough to qualify by not playing Pakistan. Not playing bilaterally hurts them. But it’s a World Cup, it’s two points….”
India has never lost against Pakistan in the cricket World Cup history. They have met six times in the World Cup, and India won all the matches.
Sunil Gavaskar doesn’t believe about Pakistan’s ban from the upcoming World Cup.
Vinod Rai, the chairman of the SC-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA), has reportedly wanted to ban Pakistan from the forthcoming World Cup. According to the reports, He believes that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should write a letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC) to ban Pakistan from the upcoming World Cup.
However, Sunil Gavaskar is not confident about this as he doesn’t believe that it will work practically.
He said, “It will not happen because the other countries have to agree. India can certainly go ahead but that is not likely to happen.
“The right forum is at the United Nations. I am not too sure the International Cricket Conference is the right forum to bring this up. We are all down with the tragedy. I am not too sure it will work because the other countries might say it’s an internal issue between two countries so please don’t involve us.”
The ICC has recently revealed that the India-Pakistan game in the upcoming World Cup is high in demand. While they are monitoring the present situation, they are also confident about that game.