‘It is ICC’s responsibility to take notice of Indian team’s action’, foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said the International Cricket Council (ICC) should take notice of the Indian team for wearing military caps during the third One Day International (ODI) against Australia.

While speaking to the media in Sukkur on Saturday, the foreign minister said, “Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s manner of speaking and jingoism is an act of compulsion till elections. The Indian premier is facing immense pressure as the opposition is questioning his policies and demanding the truth be told behind Pulwama attack. Modi’s claims are not being accepted in India, so at this time there can be no expectation that he speaks of peace.”

“We understand Modi’s compulsions and don’t want to give any chance which he turns into an excuse for aggression. We have given them [India] a clear message of peace but if any aggression is done then we have the right and capability of self-defense”, he further added.

Speaking about the Indian team wearing military-camouflage caps in third ODI against Australia in Ranchi on Friday, the foreign minister said, “The world saw that the Indian cricket team wore military caps instead of their own, did ICC not see this? We think that it is the ICC’s responsibility to take notice of this without the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) bringing it up.”

Indian team sported ‘special caps’ named for the Ranchi ODI, 3rd ODI of the series against Australia. There was an official announcement by the Indian Crocket board that Team India will be sporting camouflage caps today as a mark of tribute to the loss of lives in Pulwama terror attack and the Indian armed forces.

As being reported, the idea to sport the camouflage caps bearing the BCCI’s logo came from former Indian cricket captain and current player Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who happens to be one of the cricket’s biggest stars in India and an honorary lieutenant colonel with the Indian army.