Congress MP, Imran Masood launched a scathing attack, questioning the morality of engaging with Pakistan on the cricket field. Reacting to the development, Masood said, \u201cTheir hands are stained with the vermilion of our sisters; they wiped away our sisters\u2019 sindoor. Don\u2019t you feel ashamed playing with them?\u201d His remarks reflected strong emotional opposition, linking sporting ties to broader political and security concerns.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Another Congress leader, MP Sukhdeo Bhagat, took a more measured but critical stance, saying such situations were not unprecedented and ultimately damaged the spirit of the game.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThis is nothing new. Such things have happened before as well. Ultimately, it harms the game. Unless firm action is taken in such cases\u2026\u201d Bhagat said, indicating that recurring uncertainty and politicisation of cricket fixtures undermine sporting integrity.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Meanwhile, BJP Minister Dilip Jaiswal downplayed the earlier boycott threat, describing it as largely symbolic. \u201cEven earlier, it was quite likely that all this was just theatrics. The way such an atmosphere is being created in the game is not right. Well, better late than never, and it will be good in the end,\u201d Jaiswal remarked, welcoming Pakistan\u2019s decision to stick to the tournament schedule.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The political reactions came after the International Cricket Council (ICC) late on Monday night confirmed that Pakistan would honour its commitment to play all its scheduled matches in the ongoing ICC Men\u2019s T20 World Cup. This includes the much-anticipated India-Pakistan clash slated to be held in Colombo on February 15.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Meanwhile, BJP Minister Dilip Jaiswal downplayed the earlier boycott threat, describing it as largely symbolic. \u201cEven earlier, it was quite likely that all this was just theatrics. The way such an atmosphere is being created in the game is not right. Well, better late than never, and it will be good in the end,\u201d Jaiswal remarked, welcoming Pakistan\u2019s decision to stick to the tournament schedule.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The India-Pakistan match is considered one of the biggest attractions of the T20 World Cup, drawing massive global viewership and commercial interest. While cricketing authorities have stressed keeping politics separate from sports, reactions from political leaders underline how deeply intertwined the two remain.<\/p>\r\n\r\n