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Former IPL Chairman and former BCCI Vice President Lalit Modi has given a strong statement on the relationship between cricket and politics, especially when it comes to India and Pakistan.
The businessman was recently asked whether the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has also allowed politics to influence cricketing decisions, as many often accuse the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) of doing. The experienced cricket administrator strongly supported the BCCI.
Lalit Modi says India-Pakistan cricket cannot be treated as a normal rivalry
Lalit Modi has emphasized that the situation between India and Pakistan cannot be seen as a normal sporting rivalry. He pointed out that because of the development of television, digital media and social media, people’s emotions today are stronger than in the last two or three decades.
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The former IPL chairman explained that whenever tensions rise between India and Pakistan, public sentiments become very strong because people are constantly watching everything happening around them, so those powerful public sentiments cannot be ignored.
Lalit Modi was quoted by Wisden as saying: “I don’t think so. I think in every society, we have to worry about the society we live in. Today, given the society we live in and the country we are in, if we are at war with another country, emotions run higher today than they did 20 years ago or 30 years ago.”
“Why? Just because the media is touching every single one of us today. What we’re seeing live today, our brothers and sisters and people being harmed, is becoming very personal. Those personal emotions are bursting outward.”
Lalit Modi supports BCCI’s stance on Pakistan cricket relations
Drawing comparisons with other conflict-affected countries such as Israel or Ukraine, Modi suggested that sporting relations are often affected when countries face severe political or military tensions, and cricket boards have to consider the sentiments of their people when taking major decisions.
The former IPL chief also praised BCCI’s approach towards cricket relations with Pakistan and said that it is their first responsibility to respect the sentiments of the people they represent.
The BCCI has repeatedly clarified that they will only play Pakistan in multi-nation events, and this is only because of the rules of the international game. This became worse after the Pahalgam attack in April 2025, which led to a large-scale conflict between the armed forces of India and Pakistan.
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Lalit Modi defends politicization of Indian cricket
Modi further explained, “What you see in Israel or what you see in Ukraine, you see in other countries. Will those countries play with each other? No. So when India, as you are saying, is politicized like Pakistan, then well, when it comes to Pakistan we also do the same.”
“And I don’t deny that. If I was sitting there in the seat, I would have done the same. I would have done exactly what the BCCI is doing because my fans and my consumers are the Indian people first and foremost. I care more about my people.”
IPL founder Lalit Modi on politicization of Indian cricket
Check out the extended scoop https://t.co/EqSGLuAgMM pic.twitter.com/cBvQ9LulWR
– Wisden (@WisdenCricket) June 3, 2026
His comment has once again drawn attention towards the bilateral series between the two countries. Over the years, political tensions between the neighboring countries have repeatedly affected cricket relations, and they now only face each other in multi-national events.