NEW DELHI: Reacting to BCCI’s decision to write a letter to the ICC in which the Indian cricket board has asked “cricketing community to sever ties with countries from which terrorism emanates”, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ehsan Mani has regretted that politics and cricket are mixing.

“It is unfortunate that politics and cricket are mixing. It is never good for any sport,” Mani told Sportstar.

Mani also quoted South African Nobel peace prize winner Nelson Mandela, when referring to India’s call to serve sporting ties with Pakistan.”Let’s paraphrase what Mr Nelson Mandela had once said, ‘the voice [of sports] is far reaching than any politician’. Sports has its own role to play. Politics has its own issues. The two should not mix,” Mani said.

When asked if Pakistan received any letter from the BCCI or is expecting any letter, Mani outright dismissed the idea, saying, “Why should we receive a letter? Of course, we haven’t received any letter.”

Commenting on the developments in Indian cricket, Mani said: “I will not comment anything on that. Let the BCCI or the ICC decide anything, then only we can discuss about our plan of action.

“You have to talk to the ICC about that. I won’t comment on what Mr Rai has said. We will discuss our plan of action if we hear anything from the ICC. As of now, there has been no communication.” the PCB chief added.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2019