Pakistan should be isolated like it happened with South Africa during apartheid: Vinod Rai

Committee of Administrators Chief Vinod Rai on Sunday said that all cricketing nations should sever ties with Pakistan and the sporting community should ban them, just like South Africa was banned from international cricket due to the apartheid

Citing the example of South Africa's apartheid, Committee of Administrators Chief Vinod Rai on Sunday said that all cricketing nations should sever ties with Pakistan and the sporting community should ban them, just like South Africa was banned from international cricket due to the apartheid when black South Africans were racially discriminated.

The former CAG not only wants to avoid playing against Pakistan in the World Cup, but is willing to look at the bigger picture as his aim to ostracise Pakistan as a cricketing nation. Even if India does not play June 16 World Cup group league game against Pakistan, there are chances that they may have to play Pakistan again in semi-final or final.

Many cricketers have shared their opinions whether the June 16 match should be called off or not, but they haven't clarified what happens if Pakistan makes it to the semifinals or the final.

The BCCI has already written a letter to the ICC urging "all nations to sever ties with countries from which terrorism emanates".

"We would be shooting in the foot if we don't play Pakistan in the World Cup. Our aim should be to ostracise Pakistan as a cricketing nation," Rai told PTI.

"As I have said earlier, all cricketing nations should sever ties with them," Rai said.

He cited the example of South Africa, which was banned for 21 years from 1970 till 1991 due to the apartheid.

"I believe something similar needs to be done with Pakistan. They should be banned from all sporting activities just like it happened with South Africa," Rai said.

The CoA chief also said that the matter will be officially tabled at the ICC chief executives meet during the quarterly conference in Dubai.

The issue wasn't a part of the agenda but now that BCCI has officially written a letter, and the matter will be up for discussion.

"The matter will be officially tabled at the ICC chief executives meet and Indian board will express its concern," he said.

When asked whether a consensus can be built in order to isolate Pakistan in the sporting world, the veteran bureaucrat said that it is done at the political level.

"It is done at the government level where you talk to other nations in order to build consensus," he said.

(With PTI inputs)