Chance of India boycotting Pakistan in World Cup 2019 grows

Former BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel and ex IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla - both of whom continue to have a say on boards' policy matters - hinted that India might boycott Pakistan in ODI World Cup in 2019 in the aftermath of the Pulwama terrorist attack.

The voices in the BCCI are growing in favour of pulling out from the World Cup match against Pakistan in the aftermath of the dastardly terrorist attack in Jammu Kashmir’s Pulwama district that killed 40 CRPF personnel on February 14.  

"I am of the firm view that India should not play Pakistan in the coming World Cup,” former BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel told The Indian Express. “How can you expect India to play Pakistan at the time we have lost so many of our brothers in these cowardly terrorist attack.”

Rajeev Shukla, on the other hand, did not directly say anything about refusing to play Pakistan in the World Cup but his comments had enough indications that BCCI was definitely considering the idea of a complete boycott of playing against Pakistan.

“We can't tell you right now whether we will play Pakistan in the World Cup as it is far away. We will see what happens," said Shukla about the prospects of India playing Pakistan in the group stages of the 2019 ODI World Cup.

Both Patel and Shukla currently do not hold any position in BCCI but still have a considerable say in policy matters of the board.

India are slated to play Pakistan in group stages of the 2019 World Cup in Manchester on June 16, tickets for which have already been sold out.

“During the recent India-Pakistan board dispute, my stand was clear that we should not pay a single penny to PCB. The moment India withdraws from an ICC event, the World Cup will start falling. For me, human life is more important than sport,” Patel said.

Patel was of the opinion that the current mode of the nation should be taken into consideration before the Committee of Administrators (CoA) take any decision about playing Pakistan.

“If we play World Cup, then it’s clear that game is bigger than the country’s image. For me, India is first and it’s not only me who has such a sentiment. Ask any Indian now, and they will be of the same view. Cricket will only take place if terrorism is stopped. I hope the current COA and BCCI takes note of it. There is always a limit to everything and this time all limits have been crossed,” he added

Interestingly, India have never talked about boycotting Pakistan from an ICC event or even the Asia Cup. The neighbours have not played a bilateral series ever since the three-match ODI series in India back in 2012 but have faced each other multiple times in various ICC events – the 2017 Champions Trophy final being the last – and Asia Cup matches.