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Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Sunday called out the high-octane India-Pakistan clash in the ICC T20 World Cup, noting that the neighbour had historically been an "enemy country" to India and should be treated that way only.
Speaking ahead of the high-profile clash, set to take place tonight in Colombo, in the T20 World Cup, Randhawa said that New Delhi should not have "dealings" with Islamabad, considering the proxy war instigated by Pakistan against India. "Pakistan is the enemy of our country, and it should be treated like that only. We have no dealings with them. Those who are on the border know how Pakistan is fighting a proxy war against India," the Congress MP said. His remarks come amid reports that some quarters are questioning whether India should play Pakistan in international tournaments amid strained ties, following the controversy surrounding Pakistan's boycott of the high-profile fixture with India in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. Earlier, the Pakistan national cricket team, which had decided to boycott its group-stage T20 World Cup match against arch-rivals India in support of Bangladesh, was directed by the Pakistani Government to take the field on February 15 for its scheduled fixture against the defending champions. The decision followed a briefing by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the outcomes of high-level talks among the PCB, the International Cricket Council (ICC), and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), according to a Government of Pakistan statement. Pakistan had previously decided to boycott their group-stage T20 World Cup match against India in support of Bangladesh, which was expelled from the tournament after the ICC rejected its request to shift match venues outside India due to "security concerns". The India-Pakistan cricket rivalry is widely regarded as one of the most high-profile sporting contests globally, drawing massive viewership and intense public interest whenever the two sides face off in ICC tournaments. The match is scheduled for today at 7 PM at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (ANI)
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