Former CAG Vinod Rai, who is the chairperson of the Committee of Administrators, has urged the BCCI CEO Rahul Johri to write to ICC and request them to ban Pakistan from cricket World Cup 2019 for harbouring terrorists
New Delhi: In its latest bid to further isolate and shame Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack, India would be pushing to get the belligerent neighbour banned from the upcoming cricket World Cup. This decision is expected to hurt the terror-sponsoring country both financially and image-wise.
According to reports, former CAG Vinod Rai, who is the chairperson of the Committee of Administrators, has urged the BCCI CEO Rahul Johri to write to ICC and request them to ban Pakistan from the biggest cricketing gala for harbouring terrorists. Otherwise, India would boycott the event.
ICC is headed by another Indian, Shashank Manohar.
Rai, reports said, had told Johri to apprise ICC about the prevailing anti-Pakistan sentiment among the public in India, which wanted to severe all kinds of ties with Pakistan, especially those that serve the latter’s interests.
Sources: COA meeting tomorrow to discuss the future course of action. Seeking advice from the Sports Ministry, MEA & Home Ministry. BCCI/COA will take a collective & responsible decision as to what steps can be taken in regards to cricket with Pak. No letter written to ICC yet. pic.twitter.com/lSKpOicknH
— ANI (@ANI)Reports further said that Rai would take the final call on whether the letter needed to be dispatched to ICC and when. He would also be considering all legal angles before firing the letter.
Former Indian ace spinner Harbhajan Singh and former captain Sourav Ganguly have led the demand from among cricketers to ban Pakistan.
The World Cup begins on May 30 this year and India is expected to face Pakistan at Old Trafford in Manchester on June 16.
BCCI had earlier pulled down all pictures and memorabilia pertaining to Pakistan and its cricketers from its Mumbai headquarters on Tuesday. Several state associations did the same soon after.
On February 14, Jaish-e-Mohammed fidayeen Adil Dar rammed an SUV car with 350 kg of explosives into a security convoy of 78 vehicles carrying over 2,500 personnel, killing at least 40 jawans. Most of them were returning to duty after spending their holidays in their respective destinations.
The attack jolted the nation and is being considered the worst terror attack since the Uri attack in 2016. Since then the Centre as well as the public are in no mood to relent this time.
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