Tense cricketing ties

Cricket fans both in Pakistan and India have been in a state of uncertainty since boycott calls against any Pakistan-India contest ahead of T20 world cup 2021 are being made by politicians in India.

Hard-line politicians in India want to sever all kind of ties with Pakistan. They always blame Pakistan for any incident of terror. This time again, Pakistan is being accused of orchestrating the killings of 11 migrant workers and minority Hindus and Sikhs in Indian-occupied Kashmir. Fiery statements by a number of politicians like cabinet minister Giriraj Singh have sparked anger, even as the Indian board has insisted that the national team cannot withdraw from the game. Decades of bitter rivalry between neighbors often ruin their cricket matches. After the deadly terror attacks in Mumbai, India has largely refused to play bilateral games against Pakistan since 2008, for which India blamed Pakistan and the latter has strongly denied the allegation.

The ongoing tense atmosphere in India is not favourable for reviving cricketing ties between the rival states. The ultimate sufferers of a rupture in ties are cricket fans. The history of cricket is incomplete without the mentioning of The Ashes between Australia and England and nail-biting contests between Pakistan and India. It is better for India that it should overcome growing intolerance and petty politics that threats the holding of any contest between both teams. It is the need of the hour that politics should not be mixed with sports. There is a need to enliven the game of cricket by allowing both rival teams to play against each other in a sporting spirit. At the same time, politicians should avoid issuing harsh statements. The presence of extremist groups has always posed a threat to any kind of diplomatic, cultural and sports links between the two countries. They are again on the loose and imposing their evil agenda. There should be some restraint as there is no need to unnecessarily heighten tension by passing remarks that can only cause more of a gulf in relations.