Government Made A Special Request To BCCI: A little over a month is left when India will celebrate its 75th Independence Day. For this special occasion, the Indian government is planning special celebrations called ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ where India’s history, people, and culture will be being highlighted.
Govt Made A Special Request To The BCCI
Amid this, the Narendra Modi-led government has made a special request to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
According to a report by News Agency PTI, in order to mark the occasion, the Indian government has written to the Sourav Ganguly-headed BCCI, urging them to organize a distinctive cricket match on 22nd August between the Indian cricket team and the Rest of the World XI.
Will Pakistani players play in this fixture against India?
A source from the BCCI confirmed this proposal from the government to the news agency, but pointed out that the availability of some of the top international stars is in doubt, especially given the tight international schedule of the players and of those who will participate in the Caribbean Premier and England’s Hundred that will also be taking place during that time.
“We have received a proposal from the government to organise a cricket match between India XI and World XI on August 22. For a rest of the world squad, we would need at least 13-14 international players and their availability is something that we need to check on,” a BCCI source told PTI.
The game is expected to be played at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium. And whether the match will have international status is still to be discussed.
Some of India’s star players – the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, and Jasprit Bumrah – might be available to feature in this contest as they have been rested from the Zimbabwe tour and then will fly to Sri Lanka for the Asia Cup.
It is also not clear whether Pakistani players will be allowed to play in the Rest of the World XI. Pakistani cricketers haven’t been allowed to participate in the IPL since 2009 due to the political tension between the two rivaling nations.
