Pakistan minister Fawad Chaudhry has urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to take stern action against the Indian National Cricket team for politicising the game by donning army caps during their third One-Day International (ODI) match against Australia at Ranchi.
Noble gesture from Team India
Meanwhile, the men in blues wore special Army Caps as tributes to the Armed Forces in the wake of the recent Pulwama attack. The attack took away the lives of more than 40 Indian jawans. Pakistan based terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility of the attack. Since then, there has been a call for boycotting Pakistan in the ICC World Cup in June. However, ICC has cleared their stance that they will go on with the game which has garnered massive support from the fans. The applications for the ticket sale is significantly more than the other games including the finale.
As a tribute to the martyrs, Virat Kohli-led showed a heart-warming gesture wearing the camouflaged caps for the fourth ODI at Ranchi. The act garnered massive support from the fans, and they stood up to laud the move by the team management. Former Indian National Cricket team skipper MS Dhoni, who got the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in November 2011, who is most likely playing his final game at his home ground. According to reports, the idea was the brainchild of the wicketkeeper-batsman himself.
Pakistan wants action from ICC
Fawad Chaudhry; however, reminded the apex body that Indian team politicised the game by wearing army caps during the game. The minister urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to lodge a formal protest against India with the sport’s world governing body ICC. He also added that they will wear black armbands to remind the world of the human rights atrocities in Kashmir if India continues to wear the special caps.
“By wearing the caps, the Indian team has politicised the gentleman’s game,” Dawn quoted the Information Minister as saying.
“And if the Indian team does not stop wearing the caps, the Pakistan team ‘should (also) wear black bands to remind the World about Indian atrocities in (occupied) Kashmir,” Chaudhry said.