The recent killings of Jammu and Kashmir by civilians and security personnel have sparked calls that the match, scheduled for October 24, has been canceled or reconsidered.
Arch India and Pakistan rivals will open their campaigns at ICC World T20 2021 on October 24, facing Dubai. However, the game's construction is dominated by politicians in India demanding that the contest be canceled, or at least reconsidered, due to the massacre of civilians and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir.
Here is what politicians have said in the contest, individually or in the name of their party:
Union Minister Giriraj Singh:
"I think that if the relationship between India and Pakistan is not good, the game should be reconsidered."
However, neither the Singh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nor its government institution has said anything about it.
Union Minister and head of the Republic of India (RPI) Ramdas Athawale: "India should not play Pakistan. The neighboring country has not learned its lesson. Therefore, there must be 'aar paar ki lanai's (whole war). It is Pakistan's strategy not to allow development in the region.
"AIMIM head Asaduddin Owaisi:
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen did not directly call for the thread to be switched off, despite taking a jibe from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Prime Minister Modi has never mentioned two things: the increase in petrol and diesel price and China sitting in our area in Ladakh. She is afraid to talk about China. Nine of our soldiers have died in J&K, and on October 24, there will be a T20 match against Pakistan," said Owaisi.
Aam Aadmi MP (AAP) MP Atishi:
"We see that people are being attacked in Kashmir. I am sure the Prime Minister also agrees with the non-playing situation. While his BJP was arguing, he kept asking why, when state-sponsored terrorism took place in India, should we have Pakistan?"
Punjab and former Olympian minister Pargat Singh:
"The India-Pakistan match should not be held because the border situation is not good, and both countries are currently struggling."
What is the position of the BCCI?
However, Rajiv Shukla, Pargat Singh's colleague in the ANC and a senior official at the Indian Cricket Regulatory Board (BCCI), said the conflict could not be resolved. "We strongly condemn the killings. However, under the auspices of the International Cricket Council (ICC), you will not refuse to play any of them," said the BCCI vice-president.
Cricket tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated as protests in India ahead of their T20 World Cup match on Sunday.
A series of killings in Kashmir, run by Indigenous Indians, has sparked outrage, although the Indian board has insisted that the national team cannot withdraw from the match.
Decades of bitter conflict between neighbors often disrupt their cricketing alliance. India has vehemently refused to play two international matches against Pakistan since 2008, following a deadly attack in Mumbai, in which India blamed Pakistan, and the two vehemently denied it.
Now they only play at world events. The last meeting was at the 50th World Cup two years ago, but that too was a call center.
The killing of 11 immigrant workers and minority Hindus and Sikhs in Kashmir living in India has led to recent demands made in India.
The hashtag #BlacklistPakista" took to Twitter.
Rajeev Shukla, deputy president of the Indian Cricket Regulatory Board, previously said the country has a contractual obligation to participate.
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