India and Pakistan should play in the Cricket World Cup. There is no two ways to think about this. It’s bizarre that Cricket Club of India (CCI) has even pushed for a move saying that the two sides should not face each other in the prestigious event in England and Wales. Now getting to the heart of the matter, the calls for boycotting the match doesn’t make sense. Questions come to the fore, why should cricket or any other sport come in between politics and terrorism. By hosting a World Cup match between the two sides, one isn’t demeaning the attack made on the Indian army in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack.
In order to protest against the dastardly terror attack on CRPF convoy in Kashmir’s Pulwama, the call for India and Pakistan’s match being cancelled by certain sections is not the right way in moving forward. Sitting in drawing rooms in front of television sets and saying this and that should be done is an act of cowardice. So is beating up innocent Kashmiris across various cities in name of Pulwama attack. And it doesn’t end just here. Even Muslims across places are being targeted since the attack happened on last Thursday, where at least 40 CRPF paramilitary troopers were killed in a terror attack while several others are battling for their lives. The incident is being termed as the deadliest terrorist strike in three decades in Jammu and Kashmir.
It’s a time when we as the people of India should unite and come together. It isn’t a time where we spread communal hatred, target minorities and lash out at everything. Calling for attacking Pakistan is clueless. The Indian army should get their full freedom to decide how to go about things. We do not want another Afghanistan or Iraq in the making. We do not want innocents to suffer. We also want our innocent Kashmiri brothers and sisters to be able to live peacefully. In the end, we should also bat for India and Pakistan to play cricket in the World Cup.
Mixing sports to the attack of Pulwama doesn’t serve justice. Indo-Pak cricket is a way where people from all across the globe enjoy the action and come together in supporting the rivalry. It’s the World Cup for Christ’s sake. An Indo-Pak match is something we all should look forward too. The cricketers aren’t at fault of what’s happened. So are the millions of fans. So why should everyone suffer? India and Pakistan do not play bilateral series any more. Perhaps they will never in the future. But in world events as such, the freedom should exist.
What should be the focus rather is to target terrorist organizations like Jaish-e-Mohammad, who was responsible for the ghastly deeds. The army will take revenge and there will be a way to respond to all this. Let mourn our soldiers’ death. Let’s channel the hurt and anger towards something positive. We should not go and call for a cricket match to be cancelled. We do not agree with CCI president and feel his call for the same is immature.
The game is scheduled to take place on Sunday, June 16 at the Old Trafford in Manchester.