In reaction to the devastating Pahalgam terror assault, the Indian team—which featured veterans Shikhar Dhawan, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, and Suresh Raina—took this stance. Harbhajan underlined that the country comes first and said he thought the Indian team, lead by Suryakumar Yadav, should also decline to play against Pakistan.
When asked if India may boycott Pakistan in the forthcoming Asia Cup, which is set to begin in the United Arab Emirates on September 9, former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh did not mince words. The renowned spinner participated in the just finished World Championship of Legends (WCL), when the Indian champions declined to face the Pakistani champions in the semifinals and group stage.
“They have to know what matters and what doesn’t. That’s how easy this is. Humare desh ka wo jawan jo sarhad par khada hua hai, unki families jo kayi baar unko nahi dekh paati hain, unki shahadat ho jaati hai, wo ghar wapas nahi laut paate hain—unki itni badi sacrifice. For me, the soldier who stands on the border, whose family rarely gets to see him, and who occasionally gives his life and never comes home, makes an enormous sacrifice for all of us.
Toh ye toh bahut chhoti si baat hai ki hum ek cricket match na chhod sakein. This is so insignificant in comparison that we cannot even skip a single cricket match. “It’s a minor issue,” Harbhajan Singh told the Times of India.
India, Oman, Pakistan, and the host nation, the United Arab Emirates, are all in Group A. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, and Sri Lanka make up Group B.
“Khoon aur paani ek saath nahi beh sakte is the same position taken by our government. Sweat and blood are incompatible. We cannot go to play cricket while there is border fighting and tension between the two countries. Cricket is a pretty minor issue until these major problems are fixed.
As Harbhajan Singh stated, “The nation always comes first.”
“This country is the reason we are who we are. No one is more important than the country, regardless of whether you are an actor, player, or anybody else. The nation comes first, and we must discharge our obligations to it. “Not playing a cricket match is nothing compared to the importance of the nation,” he continued. “Cricket match na khelna bahut maamuli si cheez hai desh ke saamne.”
India, the reigning Asia Cup champions, won their eighth championship, more than any other nation in the competition’s history, after defeating Sri Lanka by ten wickets. On September 14, the much awaited group stage encounter between India and Pakistan is set to take place in Dubai. Taking a firm stand on the issue, Harbhajan Singh, widely known as the Turbanator, stressed the need of boycotting anything Pakistan says or does on national television.
“Unke hausle dekho, wo kitna bada dil leke waha pe khade hue hain, jo hume protect kar rahe hain, humare desh ko protect kar rahe hain, humare sarhad pe bhai khade hue hain.” Jab wo ghar wapas nahi aate kya beet-ti hai kya parivaar par aur. Aur hum cricket khelne chale jaate hain [Our brothers are standing at the border, guarding our nation and ourselves. Take a look at their bravery and the large hearts they serve. Consider the hardships their families endure when they are unable to come home. We’re playing cricket here,” Harbhajan Singh remarked.
“How come it’s not that important? Are they really so significant? Are they really that significant that they are featured on the news channel? Why display them here when you have shunned them and don’t want to speak with them? The media has a responsibility to put an end to this. They ought to refrain from stoking the flames. Cricket players shouldn’t shake hands with Pakistani players, as I mentioned, but neither should the media, nor should television portray them and their reactions. We shouldn’t draw attention to them because they are in their nation and are free to say anything they want,” Harbhajan Singh continued.
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