Sports should not be mixed with politics: Aakash Chopra on India-Pakistan debate

In the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack, in which as many as 40 CRPF soldiers were martyred on February 14, Indians want all cricketing ties with Pakistan to be completely banned. The two rivals meet in only ICC events but now the union minister of India and also a few cricketers like Harbhajan Singh want that India should not play Pakistan in the upcoming World Cup to be played in England and Wales.

However, Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has come out with a different view. Chopra has said India should play Pakistan in the 2019 Cricket World Cup, explaining India is progressive enough to not mix politics with sports. India and Pakistan will meet in the group stage of the quadrennial tournament in England on Sunday, June 16 at the Old Trafford in Manchester.

Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility for the ghastly attack, after which all Pakistanis who were in any work field of India, like television actors, have been banned. Aakash said that what happened was unacceptable, but you cannot let cricket stop due to emotions.

“It’s a question whether India should be playing against Pakistan in the World Cup or not. Do we need to answer it now? The wounds of the attack are very fresh. What has happened in Pulwama has hurt all of us. We are all pained and saddened. We will always make decisions based on emotions. But do we need to make that decision right now? I don’t think we are obliged to make that decision today,” Aakash Chopra told India Today on Wednesday.

Do not mix sports with politics

“All progressed nations in the world don’t mix politics with sport. They don’t use sports as a vehicle to push their political agenda. I firmly believe India is a first-world country and not a third-world country. We are not a regressive nation in any way. We are a proud nation that actually is mature enough to distinguish between the two (sport and politics),” he added.

He also explained that India’s encounter Pakistan is one of the biggest clashes and without watching the Men in Blue beat Pakistan, the tournament will feel incomplete.

“We are already not playing bilateral cricket with them. You want to be the world champions. You want to be the best. What will be the worth of that World Cup trophy if you haven’t beaten Pakistan along the way?”

The last time when the two countries played was the Asia Cup in September last year in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the Champions Trophy in England in June in 2017.

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