India-Pakistan match fate still in limbo

Shimla: Uncertainty over the marque Twenty20 World Cup match between India and Pakistan at Dharamshala continues even after a meeting between BCCI Secretary Anurag Thakur and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

The Chief Minister reportedly told the BCCI secretary to sort out the matter with the families of martyrs and ex-servicemen in Kangra, who are up in arms against the March 19 match and consider it an “insult” to the martyrs who lost their lives in Pathankot airbase attack.

“The government respects the feelings of families of martyrs and ex-servicemen and cannot resort to the use of force against them,” Chief Minister Virbhadra was reported to have told Thakur.

However, Thakur told the Chief Minister that the match was fixed long ago and in the event of its cancellation, it would not be in the interests of the state and pleaded that it be played as scheduled.

The Chief Minister has put the ball in BCCI’s court and asked Thakur to sort out the issue with those who strongly oppose it. “The public sentiment is against the match, our ex-servicemen are highly respected and it would be appropriate for the BCCI to talk to them.”

“The government had been providing security for the matches but this time, the families of martyrs and ex-servicemen are opposing it. They had gathered in Dharamshala and vowed to block the match. We are not stopping the match, but the government cannot use guns, lathis and tear gas against them,” he said.

When asked about Thakur’s apprehension that if the match was match was cancelled, ICC may not allow any international games in Dharamshala, Virbhadra said: “I am (more) concerned with the situation in my state.”