ICC World Cup 2023: 'Bilateral Matches With Pakistan Won’t Be Held Till..'- Sports Minister Anurag Thakur On India-Pakistan Ties

Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur has reiterated that the bilateral cricket relationship between India and Pakistan will not resume any time soon. The former BCCI president’s comments came in the wake of the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

Three officers, including two from the Army and a policeman, were killed during an encounter with terrorists earlier this week. On Friday (September 15), another update stated that a soldier had gone missing while two others were injured in another encounter with the terrorists that was underway for over 48 hours.

The bilateral cricket ties between India and Pakistan were suspended in 2008 by the BCCI and the Indian government in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks. Since then, India and Pakistan have played only one bilateral series when the latter visited the former for a short limited-overs series during the 2012/13 season.

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India and Pakistan have played against each other only in ICC competitions and Asia Cups in recent years. Several quarters have also urged the BCCI to stop any sort of cricketing ties with Pakistan including playing against them in global events or the Asia Cup.

Anurag Thakur on India-Pakistan bilateral ties:

Anurag Thakur has said the BCCI long ago decided that there won’t be any bilateral cricket with Pakistan till they stop cross-border terrorism and infiltration in India.

“As far as sports is concerned, BCCI had long before decided that bilateral matches with Pakistan won’t be held till they stop infiltration and cross-border terrorism. I think this is the sentiment of every common citizen of this country,” Anurag Thakur said on Friday.

The ongoing Asia Cup 2023 was scheduled to be played entirely in Pakistan. However, Sri Lanka were later finalized as a neutral venue after India refused to travel to Pakistan. Later this month, Pakistan will arrive in India for the ICC World Cup 2023.

Meanwhile, India have booked their place in the final of the Asia Cup. The Men in Blue will lock horns against defending champions Sri Lanka in the title decider on Sunday (September 17) at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.