Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has highlighted the uneven relationship between India and Pakistan in terms of sports and cultural interactions. He emphasized that Pakistan should also take initiative rather than waiting for India to start these exchanges.
In an interview with India Today, Gavaskar noted India’s willingness to include Pakistani players in events like the IPL and engage with Pakistani voices in media, whereas Pakistan has not reciprocated similarly.
“This has been an ongoing issue. Back in 2008, Pakistani players participated in the IPL, and many teams had at least one. Pakistani commentators were included too. However, there is often an expectation for India to take the lead. We have not seen Pakistan make similar efforts, even prior to the recent downturn in relations,” Sunil Gavaskar stated.
“How many of our artists or actors have been invited to perform in Pakistan? It seems we are always the ones reaching out. When discussions arise about bullying, it isn’t about that; we are just attending to our own concerns,” he added.
The conversation has gained traction after Pakistan announced it would not compete against India in their T20 World Cup 2026 matchup set for February 15 in Colombo. Gavaskar believes this decision undermines the spirit of competition.
In a surprising twist, Pakistan confirmed participation in the tournament but chose to forfeit the match against India, citing unity with Bangladesh following a fixture change by the ICC.
The International Cricket Council responded strongly, warning that selectively choosing matches is against the principles of international competition. Since the India-Pakistan match is considered highly valuable, its cancellation could result in notable financial implications.