India-Pak cricket game nothing less than war, claims Sehwag
“Ready to join politics if I get contract worth at least 100cr by any party”
Panaji, Apr 12: A cricket match between India and Pakistan is nothing less than war, former India opener Virender Sehwag said here Friday.
Speaking to reporters at an event, Sehwag brushed aside queries on whether he intended to join politics with jestful remarks. He stressed that people should vote for a leader who is decisive, though he refused to take any name.
Asked if India should play Pakistan in the World Cup, he said, "There are two points which are discussed, whether we should have a war with Pakistan or not (and whether we should play Pakistan)."
"That is also one point that is discussed. We should do whatever is good for the country's welfare. When India and Pakistan play a match, it is nothing less than a war. We should win the war, not lose it," he told reporters at Goa Fest, an annual event organised here by advertising associations.
The World Cup will be played in England and Wales between May 30 and July 14 this year.
Facing a volley of questions on ongoing Lok Sabha polls, Sehwag said, "I feel a leader should have the courage to take decisions, quick decisions in the interest of the country, in the interest of the Army and the interest of the police."
He said if people started voting for leaders and not on the basis of party lines, then "half the leaders" wouldn't get elected.
"They (the leaders) get elected because people vote for the party. The person who can take decisions should get elected, irrespective of which party he is from," he claimed.
He said the police and the Army should not be kept "suppressed", adding that he wanted the country to prosper and not "any particular person".
Asked if he intended to join politics, Sehwag quipped, "I have always worked on contract. Right from Ranji to the IPL (Indian Premier League), whichever party gives me a good contract, I will join."
On a lighter note, he added, "The contract should not be less than Rs 100 crore."
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K’taka cabinet approves cricket matches at M. Chinnaswamy stadium: Reports
Belagavi: The state cabinet under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has reportedly given its nod to permit cricket matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, subject to certain conditions.
The decision is learnt to have been taken after a meeting held at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha here on Thursday.
Reports indicate that Home Minister Dr G. Parameshwara has been directed to formulate rules along with a referendum to hold a cricket match at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The cabinet’s approval comes subject to conditions, considering the report of Justice D’Cunha, which was prepared after the stampede.
The June 4 stampede during the celebrations for RCB’s maiden IPL title killed 11 people, which raised serious questions over the stadium's capability to host large-scale events.
Will RCB be playing at their home ground next year?
Stating that the “state had learned from the tragedy,” Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday, December 08, dismissed the talks about shifting Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s home games out of the city.
He also said that the Chinnaswamy Stadium is the “pride of Bengaluru and Karnataka” and vowed that IPL fixtures will continue to be played there.
On Wednesday, Shivakumar met the newly elected KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad at the Circuit House in Belagavi and reiterated that cricket matches, including IPL fixtures, will not be shifted out of Bengaluru.
“We have no intention of stopping matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium, but crowd control measures and the Michael D. Cunha committee’s recommendations will be implemented in phases,” he told reporters.
Shivakumar said the government is committed to promoting cricket and supporting fans while safeguarding the state’s reputation, adding that Prasad had sought the government’s cooperation and agreed to work jointly on the issue.
