Determined for Pakistan, India to not play in Kolkata: ATFI

President Viresh Shandilya says they will dig-up the Eden Gardens pitch to stop the match

The Anti-Terrorist Front of India (ATFI) has written to the chief minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, to not allow any kind of arrangements for the Pakistan team during the World T20.

Earlier, the ATFI threatened to dig up the pitch of the Eden Gardens and on Saturday their national president Viresh Shandilya has reiterated the claim saying that they are determined to stop Pakistan from playing against India on March 19.



"Hosting the Pakistanis is an insult to all brave soldiers who died in attacks,” said Shandilya. “We have written to the [West Bengal] chief minister urging her not to allow any kind of arrangements including security for the match.”

The ATFI president further said that they will launch agitations across Kolkata: the protests will be carried out at the Eden Gardens, the team hotels and the airport from March 14 onwards.



"We are determined to prevent this match from happening and for that we are ready to dig up the Eden [Gardens] pitch,” he added. “We are also seeking the intervention of the Union Home Ministry so that Pakistan team is not allowed to enter India."

The marquee match between Pakistan and India was shifted from Dharamsala to Kolkata after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) shared  its security concerns with the International Cricket Council.

The PCB then demanded a written security assurance from Indian government before sending the team for participation in the World T20.



After receiving the written assurance from Mamata, Pakistan government gave the teams the go-ahead to travel to India. Pakistan men’s and women’s teams will reach India today and Shahid Afridi and co will face the qualifying team from Group A of the Qualifiers on March 16. Before that, they will take on Sri Lanka in a warm-up game on Monday.

Viresh Shandilya was quoted by Press Trust of India