ICC confident that India, Pakistan will play each other in World Cup
David Richardson is confident that India-Pakistan encounter will take place smoothly and they are also keeping a close eye on the situation. WC director Steve Elworthy has implied that the game is one of the biggest sporting events in the world and the teams might face each other in the finals too.
After the attack on the CRPF bus which killed more than 40 army officers, India-Pakistan relation has taken a further downhill, with various state associations taking the portrait of Pakistan cricketers. While playing each other seems next to impossible, David Richardson has elucidated that there was no indication that the matches might be forfeited and the situation was being monitored with the members of the ICC, BCCI and the PCB.
"We haven't written to the boards as yet, Our thoughts are with the people that were impacted by the incident. And we are monitoring the situation with our members including the BCCI and PCB. Certainly, there are no indications any of the matches, including the Pakistan-India match, will not be played as planned at the World Cup. But as I say we will continue to monitor the situation," Richardson told ESPNcricinfo in London.
The ICC’s chief executive officer had also discerned that sports and especially cricket had the potential to integrate the people together and was hopeful that it would fulfil the purpose.
"Sport, and cricket, in particular, is perfectly placed - it has the wonderful ability to bring people together to unite communities. And hopefully, cricket can be used in this fashion rather than a way of dividing people," he added.
Steve Elworthy, the World Cup tournament director, was avid for the match to take place and termed it one of the biggest sporting events worldwide. He had raved about the passion and support of the people who would come to witness the match and also anticipated an India-Pakistan clash in the finals.
"It is probably one of the biggest sporting events in the world. You think of that match and you think of the passion, the support, the audience, the people who applied for tickets. It's a big game. They could end up playing each other in the final, you never know,” the former South Africa fast bowler said.
Elworthy further added that India and Pakistan were very balanced teams recalling the matches from the Champions Trophy 2017. He had eulogized the teams for the passion and rivalry on the field and asserted that the match would certainly be incredible.
"They are very balanced teams. It is very hard to choose because it is just that passion, that rivalry that you can't really account for. And when they get onto the field what takes players over, what drives them, and motivates them. So whatever the result we are going to see an incredible game of cricket," he concluded.
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