We will respect government's stand on Indo-Pak clash: Virat Kohli

The captain offered his condolences on behalf of the entire Indian team to the families of the martyred soldiers.

Indian cricket team's captain Virat Kohli at a media interaction after practice session ahead of their first T20 international series cricket match against Australia at the Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA VDCA Cricket Stadium in Vizag Saturday Feb 23 2019. (

VISAKHAPATNAM: India skipper Virat Kohli Saturday said that the Indian team will "respect the decision of the government" with regards to playing against Pakistan in 2019 World Cup in England. 

There has been calls to boycott the June 16 World Cup face-off against Pakistan at the Old Trafford in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack but the BCCI has not taken a call, putting the ball in government's court.

"Our stand is simple. We stick by what the nation wants to do and what the BCCI decides to do and that is basically our opinion," captain Kohli said during the press conference on the eve of India's opening T20I against Australia.

"Whatever the government and the board decide, we will eventually go by that and will respect that. So that is our stand on this particular issue," Kohli added.

The captain offered his condolences on behalf of the entire Indian team to the families of the martyred soldiers.

"Our sincere condolences to the families of the soldiers who lost their lives. The Indian team is really shocked and sad about what happened."

#WATCH Virat Kohli on Ind Vs Pak in World Cup says, "Our sincere condolences to the families of CRPF soldiers who lost their lives in #PulwamaAttack. We stand by what the nation wants to do and what the BCCI decides to do." pic.twitter.com/gjyJ9qDxts

— ANI (@ANI) February 23, 2019

Kohli's stand is pretty similar to what chief coach Ravi Shastri echoed in an interview to a television channel where he said that the team will "accept whatever decision that the government takes."

"It's entirely left to the BCCI and the government. They know exactly what is happening and they will take a call.  We will go by what they decide," Shastri told Mirror Now.

"If the government says it's that sensitive you do not need to play the World Cup, I will go by my government," the head coach further said.

Reserving any decision on playing Pakistan at the upcoming World Cup for later, Committee of Administrators (CoA) has written to ICC, urging its member nations to “sever ties with countries from which terrorism emanates”.

The letter — addressed to ICC president Shashank Manohar, chief executive David Richardson and Colin Graves of England and Wales Cricket Board, among others — saw BCCI CEO Rahul Johri expressing concern over the safety of India players and fans.

The letter sent to ICC did mention that “most countries from which the members of ICC hail have strongly condemned this terrorist attack and expressed solidarity with India”.