RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said it is not right to mix sports and politics, adding that if PM Narendra Modi can visit Pakistan “to eat biryani”, then it is fine for the Indian cricket team to travel to Pakistan
Amid reports that the Indian cricket team will not be travelling to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said it is not right to mix sports and politics and asked why there was an objection to the players going to the neighbouring country for a game of cricket.
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A former professional cricketer himself, Yadav said if Prime Minister Narendra Modi can visit Pakistan “to eat biryani”, then it is fine for the Indian cricket team players to visit Pakistan for an important tournament.
“Mixing politics in sports is not right. We should go, other teams should travel to India… Doesn’t everyone participate in the Olympics? Why shouldn’t India go there (Pakistan)? What is the objection? If the PM can go there to have biryani, then it’s good if the India team travels; why is this not good?” he told reporters, as per news agency ANI.
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This comes as India refused to send the team across the border, following which the International Cricket Council (ICC) convened a meeting of the executive members on Friday (November 29) to resolve the scheduling imbroglio surrounding the marquee event.
But, just ahead of this meeting, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) told the ICC on Thursday that it will not accept the hybrid model for the Champions Trophy, and asked it not to discuss the option in the meeting.
The PCB has been rigid in its opposition to the hybrid model and had advised the ICC to look at other options to stage the Champions Trophy. It maintained that this model will mean giving preferential treatment to India.
“I can confirm initially the PCB had looked at the possibility of a hybrid model on the condition that if India can’t play in Pakistan, then in future there would be hybrid models in all ICC events in India right until 2031 (ODI World Cup in India and Bangladesh) as Pakistan would not go and play in India,” a source told PTI.
