Don't mix sports with politics, India-Pak T20 WC match should go on: Prakash Padukone

Mumbai: India badminton legend Prakash Padukone on Tuesday said that sports and politics should not be mixed with each other, and the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup match between India and Pakistan should proceed as planned.

India and Pakistan are slated to lock horns against each other in the World Cup on October 24 in Dubai. “According to me, the match between India and Pakistan should go on. Sports and politics should not be mixed together,” Padukone told ANI.

Earlier on Tuesday, Aam Aadmi Party had demanded that the Indian cricket team should opt-out of its match against Pakistan in ICC T20 World Cup in Dubai.

During a press conference, Atishi, AAP MLA from Kalkaji said, “We see people being attacked in Kashmir. I’m sure that even the Prime Minister agrees with the stand of not conducting the match (IND v PAK) as when in Opposition he used to question that when state-sponsored terrorism is taking place in India why should we play cricket with them?”

She further said, “So, I am sure that not only AAP but even BJP and its leadership along with the PM will agree that unless such attacks in India and targeted attacks on Indians stop, it will not be right to play matches like this.”

People have been asking that the BCCI and the government should reconsider playing Pakistan in the ICC men’s T20 World Cup as in the past few days, Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a spate of targeted killings of civilians especially non-locals.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Vice President Rajeev Shukla on Monday said India will have to play arch-rivals Pakistan in the T20 World Cup as no team can refuse to play another side in a tournament organised by International Cricket Council (ICC).