Srinagar/June,16 : On a day when India is taking on Pakistan in Manchester, former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday opined that people had the right to cheer whichever team they wanted to. Urging people to be civil about other people’s choices, Mufti said the best team should win the match. “May the best team win in today’s India vs Pakistan cricket match. Every individual has the right to cheer for whichever team they believe in. So let’s be civil about it,” she tweeted.
India and Pakistan matches have always been an emotional affair for the people of both countries as they are considered arch rivals in the world of cricket too.
The match comes at a time when ties between the two nations are at an all-time low following the Pulwama terror attack in February and retaliatory strikes by the Indian Air Force in Balakoot . After the Pulwama attack, which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel, there were calls to boycott the match against Pakistan.
On Sunday, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan , who is also a former cricketer, too had tweeted about the match, saying given the intensity, both teams would be under great mental pressure and the power of the mind would decide the outcome of the match.
“Today, given the intensity of the match, both teams will come under great mental pressure and the power of the mind will decide the outcome of the match today. In Sarfaraz, we are fortunate to have a bold captain & today he will have to be at his daring best,” Khan tweeted.
In 2014, 67 Kashmiri students were suspended by a university in Meerut and were escorted from the campus after they celebrated Pakistan’s win over India in an Asia Cup match.
The vice-chancellor of the varsity had termed the behaviour of the students “unacceptable”. They were accused of disturbing communal harmony and sedition charges were slapped which were later dropped after outrage.
India has never lost to Pakistan in a (50-over) world cup match. It had won all the six games it faced Pakistan and won the toss in five of them.
