Is it truly possible to ban Pakistan completely from international stages—even cricket? Realistically? No. Because while it’s easy to boycott them in bilateral series (and India already has), banning Pakistan altogether from ICC events is nearly impossible. That’s because ICC tournaments operate under strict global rules, not national emotion.
Pakistan is a qualified full member of the ICC, and excluding them would require a near-unanimous decision from the global cricketing community—a move unlikely to happen unless Pakistan is formally sanctioned by international bodies like the UN.
What’s worse? If India dares to pull out or refuse to play entirely, even the mighty BCCI could face bans or fines, despite being the economic backbone of world cricket. Because let’s be honest—cricket today runs on money, not morals. So yes, when India agrees to face Pakistan on September 14, the criticism is valid. Especially after the Pahalgam terror attack, where 26 innocent lives were brutally taken by Pakistani-backed terrorists. When the wounds are fresh and justice is nowhere in sight, sharing a cricket field feels like a betrayal. But in a game rigged by politics, profits, and protocol—India’s moral voice is often drowned in the sound of applause, not silence.
Calling out the government might feel uncomfortable—but in moments like these, it becomes necessary. Asking for accountability sounds right, especially when we claim to be pushing for a complete ban on Pakistan. But then, not confronting international stages like the ICC? That’s where it starts looking like double standards.
Let’s not forget the wounds still left open. We’ve played cricket in the past, maybe hoping it would bring peace. But that peace? It was never maintained. So let’s not use the past as a justification anymore—because this time, it’s different.
Twenty-six innocent Indians were killed. Killed in the name of religion. On the border, it’s not just gunfire—it’s fear, tension, and lives hanging by a thread. And in the middle of that chaos, scheduling a cricket match between India and Pakistan? It sounds fishy. It sounds tone-deaf.
Even the Indian Parliament wasn’t silent—Asaduddin Owaisi called out the contradiction loud and clear:
“We halted trade, closed airspace and waters, stopped 80% of Pakistan’s water—then you’ll play cricket? Does the government have the courage to call victims’ families and say: ‘We avenged you—but now go watch Pakistan play?”
He wasn’t wrong to say it. He also urged the government to take this beyond stadiums and into real action—to push international platforms like FATF to bring Pakistan back into the grey list. Because if we can’t be consistent with our morals, how can we call it justice?
Are seniors setting standards ?
Maybe yes, maybe not, setting back from a global stage may have cost their careers. ICC can terminate BCCI and can issue heavy penalties as they had signed rules. Every coin has two sides. For Indians it was patriotism, for others it was don’t mix sports with politics. BCCI is not a government body, it’s a private body, even if players back out in the name of patriotism they can face a ban and heavy penalties - even in crores. What could happen next ? A violation of ICC rules, possible disqualification, global outrage and even loss of sponsor. Playing with Pakistan is a bad idea but not playing with them is a violation of the ICC rulebook.
Going for loss can be handled by BCCI bodies but a possible complete ban. The Indian Government and BCCI need to go for an option so that they can handle a spike named Pakistan.
