India have been considering boycotting its match with Pakistan in the World Cup in Manchester in June after the suicide attack on CRPF jawans by terrorists based in Pakistan. If the boycott materialises, India one of the tournament favourites, will forfeit points and could face elimination in the group stages of the competition. This could boost England to progress to the final and lift the ODI trophy for the first time. The tensions between the two countries reached the boiling point over Kashmir. India carried out air strikes against a jihadi training camp in Pakistan after it was purportedly used to launch a suicide bombing across the border killing 40 Indian paramilitary jawans.
Pakistan responded a day later by shooting down an Indian jet fighter and capturing a pilot who was later released. The standoff between the nations now split over into cricketing world. Indian officials have asked the game's governing body, the International Cricket Council, to “sever ties with countries from which terrorism emanates,” a thinly veiled reference to its neighbour. There are fears that rivalry between the fans could end in violence if the tie at Old Trafford goes ahead. More than 500,000 people have applied for 25,000 tickets.
