India - Pakistan Champions Trophy match 2017 in doubt

The latest terror strike in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, has fuelled fresh debates over artistic and sports ties between India and Pakistan. While several celebrities, including actors and musicians across the two countries, have given mixed reactions on whether to perform across the border, the Anurag Thakur-led Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI ) has categorically stated that cricket matches between the nations just cannot take place.

India have been grouped alongside Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 to be held in England, starting June. The two sides are scheduled to collide on June 4, but the way things are going, it is unlikely that the match will take place. "Keeping in mind that the government has adopted a new strategy to isolate Pakistan and in view of the public sentiment in the country, we request ICC [International Cricket Council] not to put India and Pakistan in the same pool of the multi-nation tournaments," BCCI President Anurag Thakur was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India on Friday. "If the two countries reach the semi-finals and have to clash at that time, it is another situation which can't be avoided," he added. BCCI's sentiments come in the wake of the terror attack at Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, on September 18, which resulted in the killing of 19 Indian Army personnel by Jaish-e-Mohammad, a Pakistan-based militant group.

The Indian Army then conducted surgical strikes against terror launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC) on September 29, killing 38 terrorists and two Pakistani soldiers.

The terror attack also resulted in five nations - Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and India - announcing on Saturday that they were isolating Pakistan from the Saarc 2016 summit, which was scheduled to take place in Islamabad in November.

- ibtimes.co.in