Pakistans India Boycott in World Cup Sparks Former Cricketers Concern and Controversy

One of the most discussed topics in international cricket right now is Pakistan’s boycott of their World Cup match against India. Instead of participating in the scheduled match on February 15, the Pakistan government made the decision to withdraw, triggering mixed reactions among cricket fans and the sporting community. The move has sparked intense debate in the country over its political and sporting implications.

Former Indian cricketer Madan Lal believes that Pakistan’s decision is actually harming their own cricket. In an interview with news agency ANI, he said:

“I feel that the Pakistan government and PCB together are harming their own cricket. This will not solve any of their problems. Someone should have thought about this properly. But they are not thinking correctly now. They want to support Bangladesh. They can do that. That is not our concern. But in the end, the damage will be for both Bangladesh and Pakistan.”

On Sunday night, the Pakistan government issued a statement saying that the team will participate in the World Cup, but will not take part in the scheduled match against India. Former Indian cricketer Sourav Ganguly criticized this decision in an interview with Indian media outlet India Today. He said:

“Certainly, withdrawing at the last moment is a big problem. If they had withdrawn earlier, it would have been a different matter. But making such a decision just before the tournament, the ICC should intervene and take some measures. I don’t know what steps the ICC will take. But something should be done so that no team even thinks about making such a decision in the future.”

Ganguly also suggested that Pakistan’s position could change in the future. In an interview with ‘Aaj Tak’, he said:

“When reactions to this boycott begin worldwide, they may change their stance. This is not new. Pakistani cricketers have returned after announcing retirement before. They have changed their decisions following the fans’ wishes.”

Former Pakistani cricketers have also expressed their opinions on the matter. On X (formerly Twitter), Mohammad Hafeez wrote:

“It started with India’s no-handshake. Then what we saw was Pakistan stepping away from the most important match of the ICC tournament. For cricket fans, this is by no means a good time. Concerned!”

Another former Pakistani cricketer, Mohammad Yousuf, wrote:

“Although the government’s stance is difficult, it is necessary. Values must be prioritized over commercial interests. If the ‘opportunistic’ influence in world cricket is not stopped, the game will not truly become global. We play with pride. At the same time, we stand for fairness and equality in sports.”