VISHAKHAPATNAM :Virat Kohli  said that he and his team will completely stand by whatever decision the government and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) take in regards to playing Pakistan in the World Cup 2019 in England. Speculation is rife that India might refuse to take part in the World Cup game between India and Pakistan, scheduled to be played on June 16 in Manchester. However, there has been no official announcement from any of the boards.
As Indian captain Virat Kohli addressed the press conference on the eve of the first T20I against Australia in Visakhapatnam, one of the first questions that popped up from the media was about his take on the India vs Pakistan match for the ICC World Cup 2019. While Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is relying on the government to take the final call, Kohli has vowed to respect whatever the decision is.

“Our sincere condolences to the families of CRPF soldiers who lost their lives in Pulwama Attack. We stand by what the nation wants to do and what the BCCI decides to do. We will go by what the govt & the Board decides, we will respect that,” he said during the media conference on Saturday.
In a letter to the ICC, the BCCI had asked the international body to sever ties with countries harbouring terrorism, indirectly asking for Pakistan to be removed from the forthcoming World Cup in England & Wales.
Vinod Rai, chairman of CoA, raised concerns about the players’ security during the 2019 World Cup after the ghastly Pulwama attack that saw 40 CRPF jawans attain martyrdom. “We have told them clearly that security of the players should be appropriately taken care of at the 2019 World Cup,” Rai said. The opinions are divided as far as playing Pakistan at the World Cup is concerned. While Harbhajan Singh, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly are among the prominent names asking for a boycott of not just the cricket match but overall ties with Pakistan, Sachin Tendulkar recently said that he would hate to give away 2 points to Sarfraz Ahmed & Co.
While there have also been suggestions over the BCCI demanding the removal of Pakistan from the showpiece event, it’s incredibly difficult for the same to be put into action as Pakistan has qualified for the event. Whether the Indian team goes on to boycott the June 16 fixture against Pakistan or not, is a decision that seems to remain completely in the government’s hands. Recommended Videos. There has been a growing demand that India boycott their clash against Pakistan during the World Cup, which starts on May 30 in England and Wales, as a mark of protest against the Pulwama terror attack in which at least 40 CRPF personnel were killed and was claimed by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed.(With Agency Inputs ).