BCCI CoA to meet on Friday to decide on India-Pakistan clash in World Cup 2019

The suicide terror attack on a CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on February 14 has given rise to strong reactions in India and now demand has also surfaced for them to boycott their clash against Pakistan in the World Cup due on June 16. Cricketers like Harbhajan Singh have sought that India should refuse to play their neighbours in the showpiece event and feels that the Men in Blue could still win the trophy.

The cricketer-turned-politician Chetan Chauhan, on the other hand, wants India to put pressure on the International Cricket Council (ICC) to throw Pakistan out of the tournament.

Reports have claimed that the Committee of Administrators (CoA) that runs the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will meet on February 22 to discuss the scheduled clash between the two former world champions at Old Trafford and what steps India could take on the matter.

Times Now reported that the CoA will also seek advice from ministries like sports, external affairs and home on the future course of action and following that, the cricket authorities “will take a collective & responsible decision as to what steps can be taken in regards to cricket with Pakistan”. The report also added that the Indian cricket authorities are yet to write to the ICC on the matter.

However, going by the joint stress by India and Saudi Arabia during Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s recent visit to India on “good neighbourly relations” and “need for creation of conditions necessary for resumption of the comprehensive dialogue between India and Pakistan”, one would expect that the Pulwama tragedy’s repercussions would not be far-reaching for the game.

India and Pakistan played in 1999 WC when the Kargil War was on

India and Pakistan have played six times in World Cup so far with the former winning all the encounters. However, this is not the first time that the two sides have met each other in a WC under tense conditions. In 1999, the arch-rivals took on each other in a World Cup match in Edgbaston, also in England, when the Kargil war was still on. Then, too, it was the BJP which was in power at the Centre.

BCCI treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry recently told Hindustan Times that the board is yet to sign the MPA (Member Participation Agreement) and hence the chance of conceding two points to Pakistan in their June 16 clash with a walkover doesn’t arise.

Get the latest Cricket News and updates, Match Predictions, Fantasy Cricket Tips and lots more on CricTracker.com.