NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – The Indian cricket board (BCCI) is writing to the game’s governing body asking the cricket community to sever ties with any nation from where “terrorism emanates”, its chief administrator said today.
The move comes following a suicide-bomber attack last week that killed 40 Indian paramilitary troops in disputed Kashmir. The attack, the worst ever in the troubled area, was claimed by Pakistan-based militants.
The attack has further soured relations between the bitter nuclear-armed rivals and it has spurred calls within India for the country to sever all sporting ties with Pakistan.
“We are writing to ICC expressing our concerns about the attack that has taken place,” Vinod Rai, the chairman of the Committee of Administrators (CoA) that is running Indian cricket, told reporters in New Delhi.
“We’re telling the cricketing community that in future we must sever ties with nations from which such terror emanates.”
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Pakistan government were not immediately reachable for comment.
India has accused its neighbour of not doing enough to control the militant groups responsible for the Kashmir attacks. Pakistan has denied any involvement.
Earlier on Friday, the International Olympic Committee suspended all Indian applications to host future events and urged international sports federations not to stage competitions in the country after two Pakistanis were denied visas to compete in New Delhi.
Two-time 50-over world champions India are set to clash with 1992 winners Pakistan in one of the most anticipated matches of the May 30-July 14 World Cup competition in England and Wales.
When asked whether India would play in the World Cup match against Pakistan on June 16, Rai said: “16th June is far away. We’ll take a call on that later, and in consultation with the government.”
India and Pakistan have not hosted a cricket series between their countries since 2013 due to political tensions.