India-Pak T20 WC match should go on: Padukone

IMAGE: People have been asking that the BCCI and the government should reconsider India playing Pakistan in the ICC men's T20 World Cup on October 24, as in the past few days, Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a spate of targeted killings of civilians especially non-locals. Photograph: Michael Steele/Getty Images

India badminton legend Prakash Padukone on Tuesday said that sports and politics should not be mixed, and the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup match between India and Pakistan should proceed as planned.

India and Pakistan are slated to lock horns in their opening game at the T20 World Cup on October 24 in Dubai.

"I personally feel sports should not be mixed with politics and it (the India-Pakistan match) should go ahead, that is my personal opinion, whether it happens or not, I am no authority, I am nobody to comment," Padukone said on the sidelines of an event at the National Sports Club of India in Mumbai.

"But if you ask my personal opinion, I think the match should go ahead, they have played in the past, so many times, so this is no different," he added.

Earlier on Tuesday, Aam Aadmi Party had demanded that the Indian cricket team should opt-out of its match against Pakistan in ICC T20 World Cup in Dubai.

During a press conference, Atishi, AAP MLA from Kalkaji said, "We see people being attacked in Kashmir. I'm sure that even the Prime Minister agrees with the stand of not conducting the match (IND v PAK) as when in Opposition he used to question that when state-sponsored terrorism is taking place in India why should we play cricket with them?"

She further said, "So, I am sure that not only AAP but even BJP and its leadership along with the PM will agree that unless such attacks in India and targeted attacks on Indians stop, it will not be right to play matches like this."

People have been asking that the BCCI and the government should reconsider playing Pakistan in the ICC men's T20 World Cup as in the past few days, Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a spate of targeted killings of civilians especially non-locals.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Vice President Rajeev Shukla on Monday said India will have to play arch-rivals Pakistan in the T20 World Cup as no team can refuse to play another side in a tournament organised by International Cricket Council (ICC).

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