Will Team India Boycott Pakistan In World Cup After WCL Snub? Salman Butt Dares BCCI
What was expected to be a nostalgic face-off between cricketing legends turned into a diplomatic flashpoint. The game, slated for Sunday in Birmingham, was scrapped just hours before the toss, prompting accusations, finger-pointing, and some stinging commentary from the Pakistani camp.
Salman Butt's Explosive Reaction: "Now Don't Play in World Cup or Olympics Either"
Leading the charge was former Pakistan captain Salman Butt, who lambasted the Indian contingent for their decision to pull out. In a hard-hitting video on his YouTube channel, Butt accused India of politicizing sport and challenged them to maintain the same stance across all major events—including ICC tournaments and even the Olympics.
'Make this a promise now,' Butt declared. 'If you're boycotting here because of politics, don't face us at the World Cup, don't compete in the Olympics. Let the world see how consistent your nationalism really is.'
Butt's comments have since gone viral across social media, fueling widespread discussion about the limits of sporting diplomacy and whether political decisions should dictate team participation in international fixtures.
The Fallout: Pressure, Patriotism, and Public Sentiment
The Indian players' decision to back out reportedly stemmed from the public backlash following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which triggered a strong military response from India via Operation Sindoor. Key figures including Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, and Yusuf Pathan are said to have withdrawn in solidarity, unwilling to be seen sharing a field with their Pakistani counterparts.
While WCL organisers issued an apology, stating they had 'unintentionally caused discomfort' to Indian players, the damage was already done. What was meant to be a celebration of cricketing nostalgia quickly escalated into a diplomatic drama.
Expert Take: National Identity vs Global Sporting Spirit
From a broader lens, this episode raises critical questions: Should political tensions override sporting commitments? Can India-Pakistan matches exist in a vacuum, untouched by the historical baggage they carry?
Analysts believe this controversy is just the tip of the iceberg. With major tournaments like the Asia Cup, ICC T20 World Cup 2026, and even the Champions Trophy 2025 on the horizon, calls for an official stance from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are growing louder.
'Consistency is key,' said one cricket analyst. 'If India refuses to play Pakistan at one level, they'll face mounting pressure to do the same at all levels. But that also risks isolating cricket from global diplomacy, where such matches often act as soft-power engagement tools.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
4 minutes ago
- Business Standard
New 'Khalistan embassy' in Canada threatens India-Canada ties again
Just as India and Canada were making cautious moves to improve strained ties, visuals of an 'Embassy of the Republic of Khalistan' on Canadian soil have risked derailing hard-earned diplomatic progress. Radical Sikh groups in British Columbia have established what they describe as the 'Embassy of the Republic of Khalistan'. Photographs accessed by India Today show that the self-proclaimed embassy is located inside a section of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey. The same gurdwara was once led by Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a pro-Khalistan figure whom Indian authorities had labelled a terrorist. Nijjar was shot dead in 2023 in the gurdwara's car park, setting off a chain of events that pushed India-Canada relations into a deep freeze. The announcement of the so-called 'embassy' coincides with preparations for a 'Khalistan referendum' organised by Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a group banned in India. According to reports, Indian security agencies are keeping a close watch. Diplomatic thaw under threat The development comes at a time when ties between the two countries had shown tentative signs of a thaw. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canada's newly-elected Prime Minister Mark Carney met face-to-face during the G7 summit earlier this year — their first such meeting since tensions escalated. Both sides had indicated a willingness to move beyond the fallout from Nijjar's killing and the allegations made by former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who had accused the Indian government of involvement in the murder — a charge New Delhi has firmly denied. Canadian intelligence backs India's security concerns India has long raised concerns about Khalistani groups using Canadian soil as a safe haven for promoting separatist ideology, fundraising, and plotting acts of violence. It has consistently criticised Canadian authorities for alleged inaction. In a notable shift, Canadian authorities have acknowledged these concerns. In June 2025, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) officially recognised the threat posed by Khalistani extremists operating within Canada. Its annual report stated: 'Khalistani extremists continue to use Canada as a base for the promotion, fundraising or planning of violence primarily in India.' While no attacks linked to Canada-based Khalistani extremists (CBKEs) occurred in 2024, CSIS warned that such actors remain active in global financing and operational planning. This marked the first time the Canadian government has officially used the term 'extremism' in the context of the Khalistan movement. CSIS described Canada-based Khalistani extremists as a core element of the country's politically motivated violent extremism (PMVE) threat. According to the agency, PMVE groups aim to use violence to create new political systems or structures, often through cross-border efforts. Khalistani actors, the agency warned, continue to engage in 'planning, financing and facilitating attacks globally' in pursuit of a separate Khalistan state, primarily carved out of India's Punjab region.
NDTV
4 minutes ago
- NDTV
Tim David Fined For Showing Dissent During Fifth T20I Against West Indies
Australia batter Tim David has been fined 10 per cent of his match fee for showing dissent during the fifth T20I against the West Indies in St. Kitts on July 28. The ICC confirmed that David had breached Article 2.8 of its Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to 'showing dissent at an Umpire's decision during an International Match.' The incident took place in the fifth over of Australia's innings, when a delivery from Alzarri Joseph down the leg side was not called a wide. In response, David expressed his displeasure by stretching his arms out in protest and then walking towards the umpire with his arms still extended — an act deemed inappropriate under the Code of Conduct. As this was David's first offence within a 24-month period, he was handed one demerit point in addition to the fine. He admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Reon King of the ICC International Panel, making a formal hearing unnecessary. The charge was officially levelled by on-field umpires Zahid Bassarath and Leslie Reifer, along with third umpire Deighton Buttler and fourth umpire Gregory Brathwaite. According to ICC rules, Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and a maximum of 50 per cent of a player's match fee, along with one or two demerit points. If a player accumulates four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, they are converted into suspension points, leading to bans. Two suspension points translate into a ban from one Test or two ODIs or T20Is, depending on which format comes first. Demerit points remain on a player's record for two years before they are expunged. David's conduct was the only disciplinary incident reported during the match, and while the sanction was relatively minor, it serves as a reminder of the standards of behaviour expected at the international level.
Scroll.in
4 minutes ago
- Scroll.in
Rush Hour: Several dead in Uttarkashi flash flood, President's Rule extended in Manipur and more
We're building a brand-new studio to bring you bold ground reports, sharp interviews, hard-hitting podcasts, explainers and more. Support Scroll's studio fund today. At least four persons died and several were feared missing after a cloudburst triggered a flash flood in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. A rescue operation was underway in the Dharali area, which is about 18 kms from the Hindu pilgrimage town of Gangotri. The disaster relief forces and the Indian Army were involved in the rescue operation. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that people were being evacuated to safe locations on a priority basis and the situation was being monitored. Read more. Parliament extended the President's Rule in Manipur by six months. The statutory resolution was passed in the Rajya Sabha through a voice vote on Tuesday. The Lok Sabha cleared the resolution on Thursday. President's Rule was imposed in the North East state on February 13, four days after Bharatiya Janata Party leader N Biren Singh resigned as the chief minister amid allegations from Kuki-Zomi-Hmar groups that his response to the ethnic violence was partisan and that he had stoked majoritarianism. Manipur has seen ethnic clashes between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zo-Hmar communities since May 2023. At least 260 persons have been killed and more than 59,000 persons displaced since the violence broke out. There were periodic upticks in violence in 2024. Read more. Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik died on Tuesday. He was 79. Malik was undergoing treatment for kidney-related ailments in a hospital in Delhi. He served as the last governor of Jammu and Kashmir from August 2018 to October 2019. He also held the post in Bihar (2017-2018), Goa (2019-2020) and Meghalaya (2020-2022). Malik was an MP in the 1980s, and jumped parties including the Congress, the Janata Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party. He also served as the Union minister of state for parliamentary affairs and tourism in 1990. In recent years, Malik made several allegations of corruption in Jammu and Kashmir, and Goa. He had also claimed in an interview in April 2023 that Prime Minister Narendra Modi told him not to speak about the alleged security lapses that led to the Pulwama terror attack in 2019. Read more. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra defended her brother Rahul Gandhi a day after the Supreme Court criticised his remarks on alleged Chinese incursions. 'With due respect to the honourable judges, they do not decide who a true Indian is,' Vadra said. 'It is the duty of the Opposition leader to question the government.' On Monday, the court told Rahul Gandhi that a 'true Indian' would not make remarks such as those he had about China having allegedly intruded into Indian territory. The bench made the comments while hearing his petition seeking to quash a defamation case against him.
