'Country comes first,' Indian cricketers on BCCI's decision to not play against Pak

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Anurag Thakur had already made it clear that there was no question of playing cricket with Pakistan and now cricketers like Irfan Pathan and Parthiv Patel have also spoken on similar lines

"For me country comes first, we must support whatever the Government decides in such situations," Irfan Pathan was quoted as saying by ANI.

"BCCI president has clearly said that no question of cricket with Pakistan, so we support it and also our Govt's stand," said Parthiv Patel.

Incidentally, after India's surgical strike across the Line of Control (LoC), former Pakistan skipper Javed Miandad had said that Pakistan was ready for an all-out war against India. Reacting to Miandad's tirade against India, Anurag Thakur on Tuesday said the former captain was still in a state of shock over Pakistan's win-less record in both the battlefield and cricket field.

"Pakistan is still not over the trauma inflicted by India in the wars of 1965, 1971 and Kargil. Same with Miandad who also remains to be in shock for not being able to beat India even once in World Cup history. If needed, India will make Pakistan bite the dust again, whether it is in the battle field or cricket field," Thakur, who is also BJP MP, said.

Further taking a dig at Miandad, Thakur said the former captain should tell his relative and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim to come out in the open. "If Miandad is so confident about his own people, he should tell Dawood to come back to India. Why doesn't he do that? We have always defeated Pakistan and will do so again in the future," Thakur said.