Surya Kumar Yadav Reacts to Pakistan’s Refusal to Play India
Mumbai: Indian cricket team captain Surya Kumar Yadav has reacted to Pakistan’s decision not to play against India in the ICC T20 World Cup, a move taken in line with the policy decision of the Government of Pakistan.
Pakistan has decided not to play the scheduled match against India on February 15 in the ICC T20 World Cup. Following the development, Surya Kumar Yadav addressed the issue during a captains’ media briefing held in Mumbai ahead of the tournament.
The Indian captain said that regardless of whether the match takes place or not, the Indian team will travel to Colombo as planned. He clarified that India had not refused to play Pakistan, stating that the decision to withdraw came from the Pakistani side.
Surya Kumar said the ICC initially prepared the tournament schedule, after which the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Indian government, in consultation with the ICC, decided to play matches at a neutral venue. He added that flights to Colombo have already been booked and the team will proceed accordingly, noting that further developments would be assessed later.
Speaking about the team’s preparations, the Indian captain said the planning remains clear, with a match scheduled on February 7, followed by another fixture against Namibia on February 12, before departing for Colombo.
Commenting on the broader situation, Surya Kumar said the decision was beyond the players’ control and emphasized that if the team is instructed to play on February 15, India will comply.
The situation echoes last year’s Asia Cup, where political tensions between the two countries also impacted sporting interactions. During the tournament, the Indian team avoided shaking hands with Pakistan players on government instructions and, despite winning the Asia Cup, declined to receive the trophy from ACC President and PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
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