Former India cricketer and current Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh has urged the Indian cricket team to avoid playing against Pakistan in the upcoming Asia Cup to be held in the UAE. His remarks come after the India Champions side, of which he was a member, refused to face Pakistan Champions at the recent World Championship of Legends.
Even though India were defending champions after winning the inaugural edition, players including captain Yuvraj Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, and Harbhajan opposed playing against Pakistan. As a result, the team forfeited their semi-final match, allowing Pakistan to advance directly to the final, which they eventually lost. The decision to skip was consistent, as the Indian team had also refused to meet Pakistan in the group stage.
Putting Soldiers’ Sacrifice Above Cricket
In an interview, Harbhajan Singh explained his position clearly, “They (the Indian team) need to understand what is important and what is not. This is as simple as that. For me, the soldier who stands on the border, whose family often doesn’t get to see him, who sometimes sacrifices his life and never returns home – their sacrifice is so immense for all of us.”
“Compared to that, this is a very small thing, that we can’t skip playing one cricket match. It’s a very small matter.” Harbhajan stressed that the dedication, hardship, and sacrifices of the armed forces should always be valued above sporting commitments. For him, cricket is insignificant when compared to the lives and service of soldiers who ensure the safety of the nation.
Nation First, Sports Later
Harbhajan echoed the official stance of the Indian government, saying, “Our government has the same stance, ‘Khoon aur paani ek saath nahi beh sakte.’ It cannot be the case that there’s fighting on the border, tensions between the two nations, and we go to play cricket. Until these big issues are resolved, cricket is a very small matter. The nation always comes first.”
He further highlighted the courage and emotional struggle of the armed forces, “Humare sarhad pe bhai khade hue hain, jo hume protect kar rahe hain, humare desh ko protect kar rahe hain — unke hausle dekho, wo kitna bada dil leke waha pe khade hue hain. Aur unke parivaar par kya beetati hai jab wo ghar wapas nahi aate. Aur hum cricket khelne chale jaate hain.” He concluded that until political and security tensions ease, national pride should take precedence over any sporting rivalry.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.