"Don't Play Pakistan In World Cup, Olympics": India Asked To Promise

The Indian team's decision to withdraw from the World Championship of Legends clash against Pakistan on Sunday has triggered a massive debate on social media over the future of sporting affairs between the two countries. While this was supposed to be a match between former cricketers from the two countries, it does set expectations for the current stars clearly. Though India and Pakistan only play against each other in multi-team events, calls have intensified over a boycott at such stages, too.

Former Pakistan opening batter Salman Butt questioned the Yuvraj Singh-led India Champions team's decision to withdraw from the contest against Pakistan. Butt sought a promise from the Indian team that they would maintain the same stance when the two teams are scheduled to play against each other in an ICC event.

Whenever it comes to a cricketing contest between India and Pakistan, such narratives often become the talk of the town but it isn't the same when other sporting contests between the two countries are scheduled. Butt wants India vs Pakistan sporting battles to be prohibited even in events like the Olympics.

"The whole world is talking about them - what message have they sent to cricket as a whole and to the fans? What are you trying to show? What are you trying to prove? Now don't play in the World Cup...don't play against us in any ICC tournament. Make this a promise. See, we understand that everything has its own place. But now that you are interlinking, don't play against us at any level or tournament. Not even the Olympics. Please do that. I would love to see. The stakes would be high, and I'd see how much nationalism they can show at that level," he said on his YouTube channel.

To conclude, the former Pakistan opener said the WCL decision seemed 'pressured' from his point of view.

"What is this mindset? I just can't understand. Who is making this decision? Those 4-5 people who decided not to play, because of them, others, who probably had the mindset to play, felt pressured," he added.

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