Shimla: Secretary of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Anurag Thakur said that India would not play cricket with Pakistan as long as the latter "promotes" militancy against it.
Thakur's comments come in the backdrop of a slew of ceasefire violation by Pakistani Rangers along India's Kashmir. The India-Pakistan cricket rivalry is one of the most intense sports rivalries in the world anticipated by the fans of both the countries.
"Peace on the borders is essential for cricket match between India and Pakistan and no cricket match was possible under the shadow of unprovoked firing and bombardment at the Border," Anurag Thakur told the mediapersons.
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How the people from both countries can enjoy the cricket match when firing and bombardment is continuing at the border?
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- He questioned and called for congenial and peaceful environment for playing cricket matches.
"If peace prevails, I will myself go to Pakistan with ball and bat," he said adding that talks are on and we are hopeful that things will get better. Thakur accused the chief minister Virbhadra Singh of misinforming the people about Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) and asserted that its headquarters was in Dharamsala and all the members are from the state.
Speaking about the controversies surrounding world's richest cricket tournament Indian Premier League (IPL), Thakur said that a report prepared by five-member working group for the smooth conduct of IPL would be released soon. Last month BCCI set up a four-member committee to study verdict of a Supreme Court-appointed panel that has suspended two Indian Premier League (IPL) teams for two years in wake of corruption scandal.
He also brushed aside the allegations of Congress leader Jairam Ramesh and said that he had been wrongly briefed. "We developed a world class cricket stadium at Dharamsala at a cost of Rs 50 crore while the Congress government failed to make any progress in construction of stadium at Katasani near Shimla during past eight years," he alleged.
Thakur also alleged discrimination against his Hamirpur Parliamentary constituency and said that schemes and projects brought by him from the centre were not being implemented or delayed by the state government.
Source - Various news networks