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During a briefing, the US deputy spokesperson clarified that resolving India-Pakistan sports matters lies with the respective nations.
India’s Refusal to Travel to Pakistan Sparks Debate
India’s decision to skip the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan has caused significant backlash from the PCB and media.
The BCCI cited security concerns and political tensions for their stance, last travelling to Pakistan in 2008.
Pakistan opposes a hybrid model proposed by India, leaving the ICC struggling to find a viable solution.
On November 14, a Pakistani journalist raised this issue during a US Department of State briefing, asking principal deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel if politics and sports should mix.
US Spokesperson’s Diplomatic Response
Vedant Patel, caught off-guard by the cricket-related query, said the US would not interfere in bilateral issues.
“There’s a big cricket event in Pakistan,” the journalist asked.
Surprised by the question, Patel replied, “Cricket? Oh, I didn’t have that on my bingo card. Go ahead.”
The journalist continued, saying, “It’s the biggest event after the Cricket World Cup, and India was set to participate, but the Indian government has refused to send the team to Pakistan. The Indian team last visited Pakistan in 2008, but due to political tensions, India has not travelled there since. Do you believe mixing politics with sports is a good idea? What’s your opinion on this?
Highlighting the importance of sports diplomacy, he remarked that sports connect people and foster human bonds.
“As it relates to relations between India and Pakistan, that’s for them to address, whether through sports or other matters. I’ll leave it to them to speak about their bilateral relationship. It’s not something for us to get involved in, but sports is undoubtedly a powerful and unifying force,” Patel said.
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“You’ve seen this department really prioritise the role of sports diplomacy in connecting people. It’s something that our current Under Secretary for Public Affairs and Public Diplomacy, Lee Satterfield, values deeply; and our former Under Secretary, Liz Allen, really championed. Ultimately, sports connect so many people and it’s a great way to build human-to-human and people-to-people ties, something this administration has strongly emphasised,” said Patel.
While acknowledging the unifying power of sports, Patel reiterated that resolving political or sporting issues is solely India and Pakistan’s responsibility.
He referenced the US administration’s ongoing efforts to promote people-to-people connections through sports diplomacy.
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