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PCA takes down photographs of Pakistani cricketers

PCA secretary says the decision to pull down the photographs was taken in a General House meeting on Sunday. Tribune photo

Deepankar Sharda

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 17

The Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) removed the photographs of Pakistani cricketers from the walls on its premises on Sunday in a show of solidarity with the CRPF personnel who lost their lives in a suicide bomb attack in Pulwama on Thursday. As many as 16 photographs of Pakistani players — including that of former captain Imran Khan, currently Pakistan’s Prime Minister — have been removed after the decision made by PCA’s General House today. The photographs of legendary cricketers such as Wasim Akram and Javed Miandad have also been removed. The photographs have been placed in a storage hall and will remain there till any further decision is taken in the matter.

“We have removed all the photographs of Pakistan cricketers from the walls due to strong resentment by the members of the club. We strongly condemn the terrorist attack,” said PCA secretary RP Singla. “I am an Indian first before being a cricket administrator. The step has been taken to avoid any nuisance on the premises. For us, the country comes first and we are all united.”

Pakistan last played against India at Mohali in the second semifinal of the 2011 World Cup on March 30 that year. India won that match by 29 runs, and went to beat Sri Lanka in the final. It was at the PCA clubhouse inside the stadium where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had met his Pakistan counterpart Yousaf Raza Gilani over dinner on the sidelines of the semifinal match.

We should donate at least Rs 5cr to Pulwama martyrs’ families: BCCI prez

New Delhi: BCCI acting president CK Khanna appealed to the Committee of Administrators (CoA) chief Vinod Rai to sanction at least Rs 5 crore for the families of the soldiers martyred in the Pulwama terror attack. Khanna also requested the state associations as well as the IPL franchisees to make generous contributions to the cause.

Former India opener Virender Sehwag has declared that the children of the martyrs’ families will be provided free education at his Sehwag International School near Jhajjar, if they wish to take admission there.