“I think BCCI is correct in saying that terror will have to completely go before play could happen," said Ganguly. PHOTO: SPORTSKEEDA
As per the Memorandum of Understanding, the two teams are to play five series against each other in eight years till 2023. In accordance with the stipulations of the memorandum, Pakistan Cricket Board had requested a series in December with India.
Although they did not make any promises, BCCI had said they would consult with their government on the issue. However, the situation seems to have changed with the recent Gurdaspur attacks.
BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur earlier said in a statement: “Pakistan need to know that cricket can’t be played if the security and peace of our nation is affected. I understand a sport is a different thing, but our internal security is important.”
He added that in light of the terrorist activities, cricket will have to be postponed. Ganguly could not agree more.
“I think BCCI is correct in saying that terror will have to completely go before play could happen. Because as human beings we also want terror to completely go,” Ganguly said as he spoke to media personnel during an Apollo Munich Health Insurance event for a ‘Dengue Care’ plan in New Delhi on Tuesday.
“So this has always been the case with an India-Pakistan series. As much as we understand that it is entertaining and it is a high-profile series, we cannot take away the sufferings which the people go through at the border especially after what happened in Gurdaspur,” he added.
“This has been going on for a while. When we went to Pakistan in 2004, I was fortunate enough to be the captain of the side and we won the Test and the ODI series, for the first time in Pakistan. That series happened after 15 years,” he recalled.
Earlier, former left-arm spinner Maninder Singh also ridiculed the idea of cricket building bridges between Pakistan and India after the Gurdaspur attack.
“People talk about sports and politics, that both shouldn’t be mixed. But let me tell you, it is bullsh*t!” Maninder said, while talking to IBNLive, in reaction to the Gurdaspur terror attack.
“I mean, people say that cricket will build the bridges between both the countries. General [Pervez] Musharraf used to say that and then he had that Kargil war. So, no. Unless and until the mindset changes, I don’t think it can happen or should happen.”
When questioned if he would like Pakistan and India to play a series, the bowler vehemently rejected the idea saying: “No, no and a big, big no. I am very patriotic and I love my country; and if these things keep happening to our country, then, I am sorry, No [cricket].”
Pakistan last took on India in Tests back in 2007 when the men in green toured their neighbours for a three-match series.
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