Cricket is different and politics is different: Sanath Jayasuriya

Sri Lankan cricket board’s chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya feels that cricket must go on between India and Pakistan despite tension between both the countries. Jayasuriya was speaking at the sports meet, ‘Virudhaka’, at National Law Institute University (NLIU) in Bhopal.

The relations between India and Pakistan have become very sour after the Uri attack which claimed the lives of 19 Indian soldiers. There was a series of event that followed afterwards. The Indian government slammed Pakistan diplomatically for sponsoring terrorism across the border at UN. Later, a surgical strike was carried on terrorist launch pads as a retaliation for the Uri attack.

Cricket between both the nations has always been hampered due to these events. BCCI president Anurag Thakur during a BJP meet had asserted that there was no possibility of any cricket between both the nations at present. Later, the BCCI chief also requested unofficially to the International Cricket Council (ICC) that India and Pakistan should not be placed in the same group even in major tournaments till the situation stabilises.

According to reports in The Times of India, Sanath Jayasuriya said, “As a cricketer, I feel that the cricket must go on. I can’t comment on the issues between the two countries. Cricket is different and politics is different.”

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Terrorism is a growing concern for people around the world and the Lankan great feels it should be ‘condemned.’ Regarding the matter, he said, “I am a sportsman and I don’t know what to say on this. However, it should be condemned.”

Recently serving as Sri Lanka’s chief selector, the former Lankan skipper admitted that there is no problem with the condition of the pitches in India, “It is the nature of soil and climate, which favours turning wickets in this part of the world. Whenever you go other places like Australia or any other country they prepare wickets according to their conditions,” said Jayasuriya.

Undoubtedly, an India-Pakistan encounter is the most awaited match in the cricketing world. The 2 nations are scheduled to play a One-Day International during the ICC Champions Trophy next year and it will be interesting to see whether more controversies arise regarding the match.