Either boycott Pakistan completely or play them everywhere: Gautam Gambhir

When the whole world is gearing up for the big-ticket India-Pakistan clash in the Asia Cup in UAE, hoping that it would pave way for bilateral series between the two neighbours in future, Gautam Gambhir has taken an entirely different stance by saying that India should not play Pakistan because of the ongoing tensions in the border areas. 

When the whole world is gearing up for the big-ticket India-Pakistan clash in the Asia Cup in UAE, hoping that it would pave way for bilateral series between the two neighbours in future, Gautam Gambhir has taken an entirely different stance by saying that India should not play Pakistan because of the ongoing tensions in the border areas. 

India is slated to Pakistan on September 19 at Dubai in the Asia Cup for the first time since the Champions Trophy final last year in England.

Slamming India’s in-between policy of playing cricket with Pakistan, Gambhir, in an Asia Cup special show on Wah Cricket, urged BCCI to either completely boycott Pakistan or play them everywhere.

 “There should not be a conditional ban. We cannot be playing them only in ICC tournaments and Asia Cups. There should be a clear stand, either we should ban them completely or if we really want to play them then we shouldn’t pick and choose, we should also resume bilateral series,” Gambhir told Wah Cricket.

India-Pakistan cricketing ties were thrown into uncertainties after the Kargil war back in 1999 and since then despite repeated efforts from both BCCI and PCB, regular bilateral series could not be resumed. The breakthrough tour did come in 2004 when Sourav Ganguly’s India toured Pakistan for five ODIs and three Tests resuming regular series between the two countries. India again visited Pakistan in 2006 and Pakistan returned the favour in 2005 and 2007. The bilateral series continued for four years before the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008 again put the brakes on it.

Since then the political scenario has been such, that India and Pakistan only meet in ICC events and Asia Cups with Pakistan’s three-match ODI trip to India in 2012-13 being an exception. That is where the problem is, according to Gambhir.

“For years we’ve been hanging in mid-air. There’s no clear policy and we are very indecisive about what we need to do when it comes to playing Pakistan.”

Gambhir even went on to say that cricket should not even come to our minds because of the current border tensions.  “I don’t think we hear about any other country more than Pakistan. We don’t hear about South Africa, Australia or England. So clearly there is a problem and it needs to be sorted before even thinking of playing cricket with Pakistan,” Gambhir said.

“We should clear our political differences first. Our soldiers who are dying on the border regularly are more important than cricket. Personally, I don’t believe we should be playing Pakistan in this scenario,” added Gambhir.

Interestingly, there is a high possibility that India might end up facing three times in the Asia Cup if both make it to the final of the tournament on September 28.

Both India and Pakistan are clubbed in Group A of the Asia Cup along with Hong Kong. India begin their Asia Cup campaign against Hong Kong on September 18, a day before the Pakistan match.