HPCA should not hold India-Pak 20-20 WC clash: Virbhadra Singh

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Tuesday said that the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) should consider not holding the Twenty20 World Cup match between India and Pakistan on March 19 this year if war veterans were opposed to it.

"If our war veterans don't want the Indo-Pak match to be held in Dharamsala, the Himachal cricket association should accept their condition if they respect them. They are not opposing the holding of matches. They are against the Pakistan team playing in Himachal Pradesh," Singh told ANI here.

"Many incidents have taken place in recent past, like Pathankot attack. Soldiers from Himachal lost their lives in Jammu and Kashmir," he added.

Singh on Monday asserted that the much awaited World T20 match between India and Pakistan, slated to be played on March 19, should not be held in Dharamshala.

"Seeing the attitude of Pakistan towards India and the recent terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir where soldiers from Himachal Pradesh have also sacrificed their lives, at such a situation, cricket match with Pakistan should not take place, at least in Dharamshala," Singh told the reporters.

He, however, said that he doesn't have any problem if the match takes place in any other part of the country.

"We have written to the Union Home Minister on behalf of the government regarding this matter. I think if the match takes place in Dharamshala, it would be against the will of the people of Himachal Pradesh," he added.