This collage of images exhibits Pakistan males’s cricket (left) in motion throughout a T20I match in opposition to Bangladesh and Pakistan Hockey crew throughout FIH Nations Cup. — AFP/FIH
India’s Sports activities Minister Mansukh Mandaviya burdened that the federal authorities won’t hinder Pakistan’s participation within the worldwide occasions hosted by the nation regardless of their strained political relations that worsened in Might.
India is scheduled to host main tournaments this yr, together with the boys’s Asia Cup hockey match subsequent month and the FIH Junior World Cup in November-December.
Moreover, the ACC Males’s Asia Cup 2025, tentatively scheduled to happen from September 12 to twenty-eight, additionally has India because the designated host however is more likely to be performed in a hybrid mannequin with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) because the co-host.
Following the cross-border tensions between the 2 neighbouring international locations in Might, there have been speculations that India could refuse to play in opposition to Pakistan within the six-team match. The claims, nonetheless, have been quickly quashed by the Board of Management for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Whereas, for the hockey tournaments, Indian media reported earlier this month that their authorities wouldn’t prohibit the Pakistan crew’s participation as it could contravene the Olympic Constitution.
In the meantime, as per the most recent growth, India’s Sports activities Minister Mandaviya urged that they don’t have ‘any drawback’ enjoying in opposition to Pakistan in any worldwide sporting occasion, however reiterated that bilateral engagements stay depending on the federal government’s resolution.
“Our stand is obvious. We don’t have any issues enjoying with Pakistan in any worldwide sporting occasion, be it cricket, hockey or every other sport. However with regards to bilateral engagements, the federal government place is thought to all,” mentioned Mandaviya.
Though the Indian authorities has reportedly permitted the Pakistan crew’s participation within the upcoming hockey tournaments, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has said that they may make the choice after receiving clearance from their authorities.
“We’ve got instructed Pakistan that we’ll grant them visas for the Asia Cup and Junior World Cup hockey tournaments, however it’s as much as their authorities now to resolve whether or not to ship groups or not. We’ve got no drawback,” Mandaviya continued.
“Each are worldwide tournaments and each crew collaborating will likely be accorded the identical remedy,” he concluded.
