Here’s Why It’s Fine for the Indian Hockey Team to Play Pakistan

The Quint takes a look at the reasons why it’s fine for the Indian hockey team to play Pakistan on Sunday.

Sardar Singh. (Photo: PTI)

The Indian hockey team are set to play against Pakistan in the Asian Champions Trophy in Malaysia on Sunday. The men in blue are high on confidence after a thumping 10-2 victory against Japan in their opening match of the tournament.

They will be hoping to get a win against Korea in their next game before they face their arch-rivals.

However, should India be playing Pakistan at all, given the recent cross-border tension between the two countries?

The BCCI President Anurag Thakur said recently that India should not play cricket with Pakistan because they encourage terrorism. And various other people feel that India should stop playing all sports with Pakistan because of the same reason.

But are sportspersons terrorists? Do they encourage terrorism? Then why should India stop playing sports with Pakistan.

The Quint takes a look at some of the reasons why it’s absolutely fine for the Indian hockey team to play Pakistan in the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy and for India to play all sports with their neighbour country.

Leave Politics Outside Sports

The political tensions between India and Pakistan have been on the rise after 17 jawans of the Indian Army were killed in a militant attack at Uri, Baramulla, in September. A few days later, the Indian Army conducted surgical strikes across the border.

But just because the political situation is heated up between the two countries, should sports suffer?

Sports should have nothing to do with politics and the sportspersons of all countries should be allowed to perform their respective duties.

Players Are Not Terrorists

Australia’s Simon Orchard (R) challenges Pakistan’s Rashid Mehmood during their men’s group A hockey match at the 2012 Olympics in London. (Photo: Reuters)

Most of the people have a problem with India playing Pakistan in any sport because the latter country allegedly encourages terrorism.

But the players are certainly not terrorists. Surely like the Indian sportspersons, the Pakistani players give their heart and soul to win a particular match for their country.

End All Ties if Required

The Raj Thackeray-led political party MNS asked the Pakistani artists such as Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Ali Zafar to leave the country after the Uri attacks. They have also had problems with India playing cricket with Pakistan in India for several years.

But, why do they have a problem only with sportspersons and artists, why they don’t they urge the Indian government to end trade with Pakistan as well.

If we are going to close the shutters down because of political tensions, then let’s end all ties.

Should India Gift Free Points?

Rupinder Pal Singh. (Photo: PTI)

So, if India have to stop playing sports with Pakistan then should the Indian team gift points in important tournaments like the ongoing Asian Champions Trophy in Malaysia.

If India don’t play Pakistan on Sunday due to political tensions between the two countries then India will lose three points, which will affect the team’s chances of reaching the semifinals.

Should the Indian team gift points in every major tournament they play?