Pictures of Pakistan legends removed from Chinnaswamy stadium

What's the story?

In order to express solidarity for the martyred soldiers in the Pulwama attack, The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has removed the pictures of several renowned Pakistan legends at the M Chinnaswamy stadium.

Multiple pictures and memorabilia of Pakistani legends were displayed all across the stadium but they have been removed now. Apart from current Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, other cricketers who pictures were taken down include Inzamam-ul-Haq and Wasim Akram.

The background

At least 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were martyred when a suicide bomber in an SUV vehicle attacked their convoy in the Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Jaish-e-Mohammed, an Islamist militant group based in Pakistan, has taken responsibility for the attack. Many nations such as UAE, France, Nepal, Russia, and the USA have condemned the attack.

The heart of the matter

KSCA is not the first governing body to take such a step. Earlier, the Cricket Club of India had covered the portrait of Imran Khan on one of its walls.

Pictures of Pakistani cricketers - such as Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Asif, Imran Khan, Waqar Younis, and Wasim Akram and others - were also removed from the lobby of The Rajasthan Cricket Association. The Punjab Cricket Association and Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association are also known to have taken similar steps.

Spokesperson of KSCA, Vinay Mruthyunjaya, was quoted as saying to Newable:

“A decision was taken on Sunday (February 17) to remove all the photographs of Pakistani cricketers at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Also, there were bats autographed by Pakistan teams when they visited Bengaluru to play matches. They too were removed. We at Karnataka State Cricket Association to show our solidarity and support to our armed forces. And to express our strong protest against the recent terrorist bombing at Pulwama, we have brought down all photographs of Pakistan cricketers including Imran Khan.”

This is one way of expressing displeasure and protest against what transpired on February 14 - the day of the attack.

One of the most prominent pictures at the KCA was from the 1992 World Cup in which Pakistan won the trophy. This picture of the Imran Khan-led Pakistan unit had been displayed near the main entrance but has been taken down now.

Even the bats signed by Pakistani cricketers were taken off.

What's next?

The KSCA and other local governing bodies in the sport have shown a good gesture for the martyred soldiers of the Pulwama terror attack. Even the other bodies may do anything possible within their strengths in order to express solidarity for India's soldiers in this time of unrest.

No stone will be left unturned in order to protest against such a ghastly terrorist attack. Many cricket experts have also suggested the Indian Cricket team to snub Pakistan during the World Cup.