- Target:
- International Cricket Council (ICC)
- Region:
- GLOBAL
Indian right-wing political party Shiv Sena is known for its hard stand and extremism over issues pertaining to Pakistan. It often resorts to violence to compel the Indian government to do away with any collaboration with Pakistani artists, sportspersons, writers and others.
On October 19, 2015, ahead of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Shahryar Khan’s scheduled meeting with new the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Shashank Manohar on a possible bilateral series, Shiv Sena activists stormed the board’s headquarters at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and protested strongly demanding the cancellation of the meeting, which eventually got cancelled. In another development, the International Cricket Council (ICC), bowing to Shiva Sena pressure, withdrew Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar from the remaining matches in the India versus South Africa series.
The party has an ugly history with regard to India-Pakistan cricketing ties.
1. Dug the Wankhede strip in October 1991: The members of Shiv Sena dug up the Wankhede Stadium strip in Mumbai in order to prevent Pakistan from playing in the city. The entire series got cancelled following the incident.
2. Got the possible India-Pakistan Test in Mumbai cancelled in 1998: In the year 1998, Shiv Sena flexed its muscle to get a possible India-Pakistan Test to be played in January 1999 in Mumbai cancelled.
3. Damaged the cricket pitch in Agra in 2003: In December 2003, Shiv Sena activists damaged the cricket pitch in the Agra Sports Stadium, the venue for the veterans’ match on December 24 between India and Pakistan.
4. Vowed to stop Pakistan’s proposed tour to India in 2005: In April 2005, Shiv Sena protested the proposed tour of the Pakistani cricket team to India. The party staged a sit-in in Mumbai and vowed not to allow the matches to be played anywhere in the country.
5. Protested India-Pakistan ODI in 2005: In April 2005, Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena, the student wing of Shiv Sena, attempted to prevent the India-Pakistan One-Day International (ODI) match in New Delhi.
6. Threatened to disrupt ICC Champions Trophy in 2006: Shiv Sena warned that it would stage protests and disrupt the ICC Champions Trophy matches featuring Pakistan in Jaipur and Mohali.
7. Opposed participation of Pakistani players in the IPL in 2009: Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray in 2009 demanded that no Pakistani player should be permitted to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2. Since then, Pakistani players haven’t been allowed to participate in the cash-rich tournament.
8. Claimed the right to allow Pakistan play the final of World Cup 2011 in Mumbai: In 2011, the party issued a threat claiming the right to decide whether or not to allow Pakistan to play the final of the ICC World Cup 2011 scheduled to be played in Mumbai, if at all it makes it to the final.
9. Criticised Pakistan’s short tour to India in 2012: Shiv Sena strongly criticised the BCCI decision to invite Pakistan to a limited overs series in December 2012. The BCCI avoided any unwanted situation by not scheduling any match in Mumbai.
We, the undersigned, demand the ICC shift the T20 World Cup, scheduled to be played in India in March-April, 2016, to any other other country to save cricket from Shiv Sena activists, avert danger to the lives of Pakistani cricketers and free the game from the claws of extremism.
The Shift T20 World Cup 2016 Away from India petition to International Cricket Council (ICC) was written by Haroon Rashid and is in the category Sports at GoPetition.