'India should not play Pakistan in World Cup 2019': Boycott call grows after Pulwama attack

Harbhajan said India doesn't need to revive any sort of sporting ties with Pakistan as a mark of respect for the armed forces. "I don't think India should play the World Cup match against Pakistan. Country comes first and we are all standing behind our country. Cricket or hockey or sports, it should be kept aside because this is a huge thing and repeatedly our soldiers are killed."

"We should stand with our country. Cricket or hockey or any sport, we don't need to play with them," he said. "We should not keep any kind of ties with Pakistan: we are powerful enough to feed the world on our own. Cricket, sports is not as important. We stand with every member of the defence force. Their sacrifices should no go to waste." 

Former BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel said the decision-makers in the board should take into account the prevalent mood in the country. 

“How can you expect India to play Pakistan at the time we have lost so many of our brothers in these cowardly terrorist attack. I am of the firm view that India should not play Pakistan in the coming World Cup,” Patel told The Indian Express.

IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla also said that sporting ties cannot prosper in the present environment. “I’ve always said that sport is above politics but now it will hamper sporting ties too, not until Pakistan-sponsored terrorism is stopped."

However, Shukla did not call for boycott of the match, saying “I cannot say now whether we will play Pakistan in the World Cup as it’s too far but our policy and position is very clear. We will wait for the government’s decision.” 

The boycott call has also been taken up by the secretary of the prestigious Cricket Club of India. "CCI is a sporting association but nation comes first," said Suresh Bafna.

CCI had covered a portrait of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in a unique protest against the dastardly terror attack on CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama.

According to World Cup rules, in case a team doesn’t play its scheduled match, the opposition team gets the points from the game. So if India chooses not to play against Pakistan, Pakistan will be awarded the points with the match counted in the 'loss' column for India. Each team will play nine games in this year's first round and top four will go to the semifinals. Apart from Pakistan, India play England, Australia, Bangladesh, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and West Indies.