Kolkata, Sep 14 (IANS) Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary called it “unfortunate” that the Indian team will play a match against Pakistan in the Asia Cup on Sunday, adding that the Central government would have stopped it from happening, but they chose against it.

It is the first time since the May clashes between India and Pakistan that the neighbouring countries will face off in a cricket match in Dubai. It all started after Pakistani terrorists killed 26 civilians in Pahalgam in a cold-blooded attack. In retaliation, the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor, hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed.

As per the Union Sports Ministry’s notification, India can play Pakistan in “international and multilateral events”, but can’t engage in “bilateral sports events in each other’s country”.

“I don’t want to say anything. Unfortunate that this match is happening. I’m very sad. How can you watch it? I said earlier that I would boycott this match. I also said that I will personally boycott the entire Asia Cup and I’m not watching it. From Pulwama to Pahalgam, there are so many terrorist attacks and everyone knows where these terrorists come from and despite that, you have to play this match,” Tiwary told IANS.

“I don’t understand what they will achieve by playing this match. You will only get one trophy or make the country proud; nothing more can be achieved from it. You have many other tournaments where you can play and make your country proud. What’s the need to play a match with them (Pakistan)? ‘Blood and water can’t flow together’, someone has said this, but now it’s been flowing together. It will be very painful for the families who lost their near and dear ones in those attacks.

“Central government had it in their hands to stop this (match) but didn’t do it and nothing can be more adverse than this,” the West Bengal Minister of State for Sports added while slamming the centre’s decision to give a go-ahead for the match.

The former Bengal batter, who represented India in 15 white-ball matches, pledged his support for the families of soldiers and victims of the terrorist attacks.

“I will not support any team today. I will support the families of fallen soldiers. I will support the family of West Bengal’s Jhantu (Ali Sheikh) da, who laid his life for the country in Jammu Kashmir and other innocent civilians who lost their lives in terror attacks,” Tiwary concluded.

–IANS

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