The Indian cricket team is scheduled to play the Asia Cup final against Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday amid a section of people, including former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, calling for the boycott of the game. Addressing a press conference in Mumbai on Saturday, the Shiv Sena-UBT supremo called for boycotting the game, citing an old interview of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with India TV Chairman and Editor-in-Chief Rajat Sharma.
In the interview, Thackeray claimed PM Modi had said that Pakistan should be taught a lesson in a way it understands, as he took a jibe at the central government for allowing the Indian cricket team to play against Pakistan. "It is very unfortunate... Before Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister, in an interview with Rajat Sharma, he had said that Pakistan should be taught a lesson in a language that it understands. 'Pakistan attacks us, but we go to America and complain about them', he had said," Thackeray said at the presser.
India vs Pakistan in Asia Cup
India first played Pakistan at the Asia Cup on September 14, with the Men in Blue defeating their arch-rivals by seven wickets. Later, the two sides met again at the Super Fours stage on September 21, and the Indian team once again defeated Pakistan by six wickets.
The two sides would now face against each other in Dubai on Sunday at the Asia Cup final.
Oppn hits out at govt
While India has played Pakistan twice so far at the Asia Cup, opposition parties have constantly attacked the government alleging 'double standards' by allowing the Indian team to play against Pakistan. However, the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) has defended itself, saying India only plays Pakistan at multilateral or ICC events, and does not play a bilateral series with them.
