- 4 days ago
This episode of To The Point covers the developments in the Asia Cup, where the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) threatened not to play against the UAE.
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00:00Hello and welcome viewers, you're watching To The Point and we begin with the latest news break that is coming in and this is huge, it does seem that Pakistan is all set to forfeit its match against the UAE in the Asia Cup and the larger indication also seems to suggest that Pakistan could completely be pulling out of the Asia Cup.
00:20This at the back of the second plea of PCB turned down by the ICC to remove Andy Pycroft as match referee from the Asia Cup.
00:32ICC after investigation found that Pycroft was in no breach of any code of conduct and insisted that Pycroft will officiate in today's game between UAE and Pakistan.
00:43What we've been given to believe, PCB chairman Mohsen Nakwe will now hold a press conference any moments from now.
00:51The larger indication of course seems to suggest viewers that Pakistan is pulling out of the Asia Cup.
00:59The PCB had put in two formal demands.
01:02The first calls for the removal of the referee Andy Pycroft from officiating the Asia Cup.
01:08The second to seek a penalty against Surya Kumar Yadav, the India team captain, accusing him of making a politically charged remark.
01:16All members of the Pakistan national cricket team were seen waiting in the hotel lobby with their luggage already loaded onto the team bus.
01:25The players are now awaiting a green signal from the PCB.
01:28The match was to start an hour ago.
01:30So the UAE versus Pakistan match already delayed by an hour and all indications at least now seem to suggest that Pakistan is pulling out of the Asia Cup.
01:41We're expecting a press conference very soon.
01:44I'm joined right now by my colleague Nikhil Nars, consulting editor Rajdeep Sardisai.
01:49Nikhil, can you get us up to speed?
01:51Dramatic developments just while Pakistan was supposed to play the match with UAE.
01:56What more can you add? Are we actually looking at Pakistan now pulling out of the Asia Cup officially?
02:03Okay, first things first, Preeti.
02:05The press conference has happened by the PCB.
02:08It just happened a few moments ago.
02:11However, they did not take any question.
02:13There was just one statement that was issued by the PCB just a short while ago where they have informed us.
02:19And this is something that we broke on India today about an hour ago where they have informed that the game has been pushed back by an hour.
02:26Remember, the game was to start at 8 p.m. India time.
02:30So official start of the game was still one hour away.
02:33We are right now at 7 p.m.
02:348 p.m. India time was the official start of the game.
02:37It has now been pushed back to 9 p.m. India start.
02:41That means two hours from now is when the game could start.
02:45Which is to say that officially, Pakistan cricket board has not pulled out of the game.
02:50They have not pulled out of the game at the moment.
02:52What they have told us is that hectic negotiations are still on between the PCB, the Asian Cricket Council and the ICC.
03:01Based on what comes out of that meeting, a final call would be taken.
03:05The bus that is to carry the Pakistani players to the stadium is standby at the hotel.
03:10The bus is loaded with all the kit packs.
03:12So the players are also ready to go to the stadium but they are awaiting a green signal from their board.
03:18They have been informed that the game has been pushed back by an hour.
03:22So that is the latest that we can tell you in terms of where the game stands.
03:25No official pull out at the moment.
03:27Nikhil, you are speaking of negotiations which are right now on between the PCB and the ICC.
03:33What do the negotiations rest on?
03:36Because the two demands that have been put forth by the PCB haven't been accepted yet.
03:41One, of course, removal of the referee.
03:43And second, that Surya Kumar Yadar, the Indian team captain, be penalized for what Pakistan deemed were political remarks.
03:52Well, that's right, Preeti.
03:53Now, just to give you a bit of a background.
03:55What I learned in the last 24 hours or so, that there was only one demand that the Pakistan cricket board had.
04:01And that was the removal of Andy Poycroft from the tournament itself.
04:06Because of the inaction that he showed in the India versus Pakistan game.
04:11That was the first demand.
04:12That, in fact, was turned down yesterday by the ICC.
04:16What I was told later, that there was some unofficial communication that happened between the ICC as well as PCB.
04:22And there was a compromise sort of a formula where, at best, ICC said that, listen, there are two match referees that have been assigned to cover the Asia Cup.
04:31And what they can do is they can shuffle the match referee.
04:34That is not going beyond the rules.
04:36So, they will not fire Andy Poycroft from the tournament.
04:39There's another match referee in Richie Richardson who could then be assigned to be match referee.
04:44And shuffling of match referees is not uncommon.
04:47And that's not outside the rulebook.
04:48So, I then learnt that Richie Richardson had travelled from Abu Dhabi.
04:53That's where he was supposed to be to manage the other game that was played in the tournament.
04:58He reached Dubai this morning.
05:00Which means to say that he was on standby to be the match referee for this particular game.
05:05That is where things were.
05:06What happened in the last few hours is what I believe.
05:09There was a lot of political pressure on the PCB saying that, listen, just shuffling of match referee will not suffice.
05:16That will not help us save our face.
05:19We need to be seen to be acting a bit more sternly.
05:22And we need some more concrete action for us to allow our team to play.
05:26So, in the last three hours, in fact, there have been hectic negotiations where Pakistan have upped their demand.
05:32They said, listen, just the shuffling of match referee might not suffice.
05:36You need to remove Andy Pycroft.
05:38And secondly, you need to find Sura Kumar Yadav according to the rulebook because he made two political references in that game.
05:46One happened right after in the official post-match press conference where he dedicated it to the Indian armed forces.
05:52And then there was an official press conference a few moments later where he addressed the accredited media
05:58and said that this is dedicated to the armed forces for the successful completion of Operation Sindur.
06:04Those are the words used. PCB said, according to the rulebooks, no political reference can be there.
06:09So, we want Andy Pycroft as the match referee to take some sort of action just to let you know.
06:15Typically, there has been action taken against players for any political reference.
06:19Typically, it's a fine which could range from anywhere between 20 to 40 percent of your match fee.
06:24If that was done, that would then go on to, you know, in some light show Pakistan having acted in some way and got some sort of a face-saving exercise done.
06:35So, these are the two demands which haven't been accepted.
06:38Right now, negotiations are on.
06:39The possibility is that Pakistan may still continue to play this game, which is delayed by an hour, even if their demands are not met.
06:48However, on this condition, that this matter continue to be heard in the next few days.
06:54So, under protest, they might still play the game because they would, you know, be advised not to pull out of a tournament.
06:59That could invite a lot of sanctions, which a Pakistan cricket board at the moment cannot afford.
07:04You know, Nikhil, just stay on with me because we're keeping in with the news.
07:11So, we was, you know, let me hark back.
07:13Pakistan hasn't pulled out of the Asia Cup yet, but their game with UAE has been pushed by an hour.
07:20All eyes on what Pakistan does right now.
07:23I want to bring in our consulting editor, Rajdeep Sardisai.
07:25Rajdeep, if political, nationalistic machismo, you know, is to be believed, then one would say that Pakistan has surrendered in cricket.
07:33But ultimately, Rajdeep, the gentleman's game is not gentlemanly anymore, falling collateral to domestic politics, especially where the Pakistan team is concerned.
07:48Look, Preeti, you may not like this, and this is an unpopular opinion.
07:53Both sides, I repeat, both sides, B-O-T-H, both sides have fallen to their domestic political constituencies.
08:00You may like to wear the Indian flag on this issue.
08:03I wear the flag of cricket, a game which I love for years.
08:08And the fact is, Surya Kumar Yadav had no reason to use an official platform to make a political statement.
08:16That is against the rules.
08:18Handshake or not is a convention.
08:20You cannot make political statements from an official platform.
08:25Usman Khwaja was censored for wanting to wear an armband in support of Gaza.
08:32So let's be very clear, that was the mistake, I believe, on the Indian side.
08:37On the Pakistani side, please understand, their cricket board is run by Mausin Natvi, interior minister in the Shahbaz Sharif government.
08:45Someone who follows the dictates of General Aasim Munir, someone who has been making the most obnoxious statements against India.
08:54Someone who really is simply using this platform for his own politics.
08:59So you've got Mausin Natvi on one side and you've got the ICC which is headed by Jai Shah, the son of Amit Shah, India's home minister.
09:08Please appreciate what I'm saying.
09:11You've got to, this is the real proxy war taking place between the home ministry here and the interior ministry in Pakistan.
09:18And that's the problem.
09:19The players are pawns.
09:20Surya Kumar Yadav was told what he had to say from all indications.
09:25And the Pakistani players are doing exactly what Mausin Natvi is trying to do.
09:29This is a clear, the Pakistani cricket board, in my view, has done what is a gross, ill-advised move to react in the manner that they have.
09:38Because for God's sake, the game must come first.
09:41You want to prove a point, go on the field and win matches.
09:44Instead, Mausin Natvi is using these players as a pawn because he knows that he will be red-faced when he goes back to Pakistan from the domestic constituency of his.
09:54As to how did you respond to Surya Kumar Yadav's message.
09:58Andy Pycroft, the match referee, also is a pawn in this game.
10:02What could Andy Pycroft do if Surya Kumar Yadav refuses to shake hands with Salman Aga?
10:07That's Surya Kumar's choice.
10:08I may not agree with it, but that's only a convention.
10:11But when Surya Kumar Yadav spoke of Operation Sindur and the Army in an official press conference,
10:17he was violating ICC rules.
10:20And the ICC should have drawn a line.
10:21When Mr. Jai Shah sits on the ICC, he's not representing India, he's representing the ICC.
10:29So we need to have clear rules.
10:30Similarly, when Mausin Natvi is the chairman of the Asian Cricket Council,
10:35he's not sitting there as Interior Minister of Pakistan.
10:38He should recognize that the game is much bigger.
10:41So that's the problem, Preeti.
10:43Let's be honest.
10:44I want to call a spade a spade.
10:46Unfortunately, nobody wants to call a spade a spade.
10:49There's too much of pussy-footing going on.
10:52If my old friend, the great Vishen Singh Bedi was there, he would say what I see is not cricket.
10:57I actually concur.
10:58These players have been made polls.
10:59Rajdeep, I concur with you.
11:01I agree with what you're saying.
11:03I agree with what you're saying because clearly what we've witnessed is politics in the game.
11:07It's a disgrace.
11:08It's a disgrace what has happened in the last 24 hours.
11:10Then you would have fitted it like a spade.
11:13Okay.
11:13I want to bring in...
11:15Rajdeep, just hold that thought.
11:17I'm coming right back to you.
11:18Clearly, you're very passionate about your stand.
11:20I want to also just get in visuals coming in.
11:24The PCB guys are in a huddle.
11:26There are decisions that are being made.
11:28And Rajdeep just gave us the political context to the PCB.
11:31I want to bring in Nikhil to elucidate a tad more.
11:34Nikhil, over to you.
11:35Visuals coming in of the PCB in a huddle right now, trying to figure out what would be their next move.
11:43Preeti, quick updates now.
11:45One, of course, we spoke about Najam Sethi, who is a minister as well as a former PCB president as well.
11:54He is in consultation with the current Intina minister.
11:58And Ramiz Raja, who was at one point heading the PCB a short while ago.
12:03They are all in a huddle.
12:04They are consulting what to do.
12:06But I've also got some breaking news for you at the moment.
12:09The Pakistan cricket team is now beginning to leave the hotel, is what we're picking up, towards the stadium.
12:16So the team is about to leave the hotel and go towards the stadium, which is then an indication that the game will go ahead.
12:24Of course, seems like better sense has prevailed.
12:27The game, as I mentioned earlier, as we broke here on India today first about an hour ago, has been pushed back by an hour, which will be 9 p.m. Indian standard time instead of 8 p.m.
12:37In fact, the team is now, as I speak, is heading into the bus.
12:41They're getting inside the bus and the team is leaving for the stadium.
12:45So that's the big update.
12:47No calling off of that game versus UAE.
12:51That's the first bit of news that we are giving you here at the moment.
12:55You're seeing those visuals on your screen at the moment.
12:57That is the Pakistan team that's leaving for the stadium to play the game versus UAE.
13:03Just so that you know, the game has also been delayed by an hour.
13:07The official start time is 8 p.m. Indian standard time.
13:11The game is now scheduled to start at 9 p.m.
13:15This delay was caused because of the negotiations that were happening between the ICC and the PCB.
13:22That meeting got over a short while ago.
13:24And now the PCB is in a huddle and they are negotiating at the moment and coming to a consensus as to what they need to do going forward.
13:33In all likelihood, as things stand right now, the PCB may have agreed to play this particular game in protest.
13:40Because remember, pulling out wouldn't have been the right option.
13:43That would have resulted in sanctions for the PCB.
13:46That would have resulted in a financial loss.
13:49They stood to gain somewhere between $16.5 to $17 million.
13:54That's about 8 to 10 percent of their yearly revenue.
13:58That is something that they would have lost.
13:59And not only that, because they were in negotiations with the ICC.
14:03And even though this may be an Asian Cricket Council tournament, remember, because the negotiations were on with the ICC,
14:10ICC could have taken further steps to isolate Pakistan or have some sort of sanctions imposed on Pakistan going forward because they forfeited this particular match.
14:20So, I think better sanctions prevailed if you look at it from Pakistan's point of view.
14:24They may still be playing the game.
14:26They may not have gotten their side of the bargain that we were bargaining for.
14:29One is an apology by Andy Poycroft and one is the removal of Andy Poycroft from the tournament.
14:35And the second bit that they were asking for is some sort of a fine on Surakumar Yadav.
14:40We don't know what might happen of that.
14:41But what I'm picking up at the moment is that those negotiations may still carry on for days to come.
14:47It wasn't something that you could have arrived to a conclusion immediately.
14:50So, Nikhil, what you're suggesting right now is that Pakistan has not been given any assurances yet,
14:58but they have decided to go ahead and play that match.
15:01At least the optics of it all seem to indicate that.
15:05No assurances from the ICC, yet they're going ahead.
15:08At least what we seem to be understanding by the visuals that are coming in.
15:12That's correct.
15:13That's correct.
15:13As far as we know, there has been no assurances that they may have given to PCB.
15:19In any way, it's not possible for an ICC to arrive at a conclusion.
15:23They may have told them that, listen, we're going to look into the matter.
15:26These are fresh demands that you have presented to us.
15:29Your demand till now was not having Andy Poycroft.
15:32And I believe there was a sort of a half-face solution that they had come to,
15:36whereby they were ready to rotate the match referee at one point.
15:40But because the demands had changed, I don't think there was enough time to reach some sort of a conclusion there,
15:45which is the reason why they may try to push these negotiations going forward,
15:51which is why the PCB officials are in a huddle, trying to prepare what will be the next course of action.
15:56Because somewhere down the line, they realize that pulling out of the tournament is not an option.
16:01It will only end up isolated.
16:02I want to bring you, Rajdeep, back into this conversation.
16:04Nikhil, stay on with me.
16:05Because, you know, as with what we are witnessing, the team has now left the hotel.
16:09They've gotten into their bus.
16:11Victory signs are being flashed by the players.
16:13So it does seem that the match is going to be played against the UAE.
16:17I also want to bring Nitin Srivastav into this conversation.
16:19But, Rajdeep, so much being done for domestic political consumption.
16:25We just did, a short while ago, dip into the visuals coming in from GOTV,
16:30which is a Pakistani network.
16:31And all indications seem to suggest that these are optics which are playing out more for political gain
16:38and way less where the sporting spirit of cricket comes into question.
16:46What do you expect, Preeti, when the PCB chairman is the interior minister of Pakistan
16:52and someone who has, on more than one occasion, openly held out nuclear threats to India?
16:57I mean, it's one thing to say, I'm PCB chairperson, I'm the chairperson of the Asian Cricket Council
17:03and yet you issue such statements.
17:06I mean, look at some of the statements even the Pakistani players have issued in recent times.
17:10I mentioned Surya Kumar Yadav and as I believe Surya Kumar Yadav crossed a line.
17:14I'm very clear about that, much as I love him as a cricketer.
17:17But look at the statements the Pakistani cricketers have been making for months on end.
17:21I mean, you see, once players start behaving as if they are soldiers in uniform
17:26and once administrators wear their political hat, then how do you expect this to remain a game?
17:33So therefore, what Mohsi Nakvi has done in the last 24 hours, Preeti,
17:37is use the players as pawns to save his own political skin in Pakistan.
17:42And that is very, very unfortunate.
17:46If all of this was to happen, maybe the Asia Cup shouldn't have been held in the first place.
17:51It all go well for him as well.
17:53And why I say that is because Newt is coming in.
17:56Andy Pycroft will continue to be the referee of the match.
17:59That seems to suggest, Rajdeep, that the intentions of the PCB and the Pakistan
18:06and Pakistan to play to their domestic constituency and lobby has quite failed.
18:11So either it was, you know, all of it was nothing more than just optics
18:15and they didn't really mean to follow through.
18:18But having said that, the referee hasn't changed.
18:20Surya Kumar Yadav hasn't been penalized or has he apologized.
18:24Nothing quite changes.
18:25So despite of what the optics played out in the last 20 minutes, nothing's come out of it.
18:34Well, absolutely.
18:35But let me say this.
18:37Assume that Pakistan wins against the UAE today and qualifies.
18:40They will play India again on Sunday, which will be the next Super 4 match.
18:44So that gives the two sides about three days to get their act together.
18:48Because I cannot see a situation where possibly Pycroft will again be the referee for that match.
18:54And I think Nikhil made the more important point.
18:56And really, the PCB got it wrong in the first instance.
18:59I maintain this was not Pycroft's fault.
19:02The fault, if anything, was for the ICC to have put in place clear rules
19:06that you cannot make political statements on a cricket ground.
19:10You can make them off the cricket ground, but not in an official press conference.
19:13That should have been the rule and that should have been settled.
19:16Now, maybe the next 72 hours, if Pakistan wins.
19:19I mean, if they lose, they are out of the tournament.
19:21If they win and have to play India on Sunday, between now and Sunday,
19:26there will have to be some kind of rule set as to what is acceptable and what is not.
19:30We do not want history to repeat itself.
19:33First is tragedy and later as fast.
19:35It's extremely sad to see what's been happening.
19:38And I think primary, prime culpability at the moment is Mohsin Nakvi,
19:42who, according to me, is wearing the hat of the Interior Minister of Pakistan,
19:48taking his orders from the Pakistan Army State.
19:51Yes, I do believe that two days ago, India could have also handled the situation much better.
19:56But today, Pakistan bears the prime responsibility.
19:59And hopefully, by Sunday, all these arguments will have been settled behind closed doors
20:04and not in the manner where players are waiting.
20:07Imagine you're playing a big match and you're waiting in your hotel room
20:10and are suddenly told the match is pushed by one hour
20:13and now are told rush to the stadium.
20:15Think about the impact it has on the players
20:17and think what it does to young people who follow this game in both countries.
20:21This is not why we followed this game.
20:27All right.
20:28You know, but Sunday match will only happen.
20:30Nikhil, I want to bring you in, provided that Pakistan beats UAE, you know, this evening.
20:35But all indications now, Nikhil, if you want to just lay it out for our viewers,
20:41seem to suggest Pakistan is going ahead and playing their match where UAE is concerned.
20:48Both the requests or both the demands of Pakistan have not been taken into account by the ICC.
20:55And right now, despite the optics, despite the apprehensions, despite the muscle flexing,
21:01which has come down to a knot, Pakistan is going ahead and playing that match.
21:05Is there a confirmation on that?
21:07Well, that's right, Preeti.
21:08Now you can pretty much confirm that Pakistan is going ahead and playing that match.
21:13They've left the hotel and are on their way to the ground.
21:18Of course, there's still an hour and a half, a little more than that, for the game to start.
21:22So enough time then for them to prep up for this game.
21:25What happens to their future participation in the tournament depends on this result.
21:29If they are to beat UAE, then they are scheduled to play India once again on the 21st.
21:34But as we found out, they had multiple demands.
21:37And I must tell you that that goalpost was changed.
21:39They started with the demand of only taking action against Andy Poycroft and have him removed from the tournament.
21:47That was a demand that was turned down to begin with.
21:49Then they changed the goalpost as to one additional demand of an apology from Andy Poycroft.
21:55That hasn't happened because the ICC has said that he hasn't acted out of the rules.
22:01So there is no question of him giving an apology.
22:03The second demand that they have is some sort of an action be taken based on the rulebook against Indian Captain Suru Kumar Yadav
22:11for bringing in political statements in the field of play and then in an official press conference.
22:17So those two demands have been put forward by the PCB.
22:20And the ICC hasn't conceded to any of those demands so far.
22:24However, because the PCB right now is, you know, huddled together discussing their next course of action,
22:30there is a possibility that these negotiations with the ICC may continue going forward.
22:35But right now, because the game was on the day, it would have been ill-advised for Pakistan to pull out
22:40and then shoot themselves in the foot because that would have only invited sanctions
22:44and an uncertain future going forward.
22:46So I think because of that, they've continued to play this game.
22:49But their progress...
22:50Nikhil, okay, so what's coming in?
22:51We can confirm for our viewers that the Asia Cup match 10, Pakistan versus UAE, is going to take place.
23:00It will start at 7.30 p.m. local time, which is Dubai time.
23:03The toss will take place at 7 p.m.
23:05So a confirmation coming in on that front.
23:08That match is going to be played by Pakistan and UAE.
23:12Provided Pakistan beats UAE, that would then mean that Pakistan will once again face India come this Sunday.
23:20And viewers, that would be keenly watched in terms of both politics and sports
23:27because we've seen that line blur somewhere in the middle where politics and sports was concerned.
23:33All right, so the Pakistan team has reached the venue.
23:37Nitin Srivastav is still with me.
23:39Nitin, what's the latest that you can add?
23:42The Pakistan team bus has reached the venue and the toss will now take place at 7 p.m.
23:47Nikhil, you want to come in on that?
23:50That's right, that's right.
23:51That's something, Preeti, that I just confirmed a short while ago, that the team is on its way to the ground
23:58and the game should start at 9 p.m. Indian time.
24:02That's the first bit of news.
24:04So you could also look at, you know, this sort of tactics by the PCB
24:08because this is something that I had picked up for the last 12 hours or so that in their minds,
24:15they had pretty much made up their minds that they will be playing this game.
24:19I think these tactics of delaying it by an hour is sort of pressure tactics that they've come up with
24:24so as to get some sort of leeway, so as to get some of their demands met going forward.
24:29They possibly knew that it might not be possible.
24:31Keep an eye on all developments.
24:32Do stay on with me.
24:33Let's try and get in some other opinion coming in on the developments that are taking place.
24:37You know, we had Mr. Brahma Chalani, foreign affairs expert,
24:41and Vivek Karju on something entirely different.
24:44But that's the beauty or rather, you know, that is what the nature of breaking news is.
24:49But Mr. Brahma Chalani, if you'd want to come in and, you know,
24:53if you can draw out a comment with all the optics that are playing right now between India and Pakistan,
24:57where the game of cricket clearly falling to domestic politics, either sides of the divide, though.
25:03Priti, no sports that's completely free of politics.
25:09Certainly not cricket. It's never been free of politics.
25:12And today, the fact that Pakistan's interior minister heads the Pakistan cricket board
25:20clearly indicates the nexus between sports and politics in Pakistan.
25:27And the bigger picture, though, is a bit troubling because the controversy that arose over the Indian stuff,
25:36and that, in fact, the very match between India and Pakistan and the prospect of a repeat India-Pakistan match on Sunday,
25:45all that is, in fact, reinforcing the India-Pakistan hyphenation, something that India doesn't want,
25:55which raises a larger question as to why the Modi government compelled the Indian cricket team to face Pakistan.
26:02The second thing that really is also very relevant to the discussion that you're having
26:09is that in any sports, it's the finance that really calls the shots.
26:18India is the economic engine of international cricket,
26:21which is the reason why Jay Shah is the chairperson of the International Cricket Council.
26:28The Asia Cup tournament largely is financed by India.
26:33And because India being the economic engine of cricket,
26:37it gives India a lot of heft, also a lot of control on cricket,
26:45even on framing rules and even driving,
26:51for example, even on issues of differences and disputes,
26:58the Indian cloud, the financial cloud,
27:01is a very important element in the field of cricket.
27:05So putting all that together,
27:08I think the key point is this,
27:12that while India doesn't like to be hyphenated with Pakistan,
27:16all that is happening now
27:17is only reinforcing that hyphenation.
27:20All right.
27:26Vivek Karju wants to come in and make a point.
27:28Go ahead, Mr. Karju.
27:29Look, the fact is that there is no way
27:33in which Pakistan would not have played the UAE.
27:37That is a specific context.
27:40UAE-Pakistan relations are such
27:43that Pakistan will never offend the UAE.
27:48That is something that everyone needs to take into account.
27:53Yes, the ICC is in charge of these matters,
27:58but the game is between UAE and Pakistan.
28:04And whatever the tantrums they may be doing,
28:07at the end of the day,
28:09the Pakistani dependence on the UAE is multifaceted,
28:14and it's so deep
28:16that they would not, you know,
28:19try to ruffle UAE feathers.
28:22That's point one.
28:23Point two,
28:24if this game,
28:26the final is going to be played in the UAE
28:29between India and Pakistan,
28:31I can give you an assurance
28:34that the UAE will ensure
28:37through the ICC mechanism
28:40that there will be no embarrassment
28:42on their soil.
28:46The UAE,
28:47this is now beyond cricket.
28:50It is beyond the ICC.
28:52It involves UAE prestige too.
28:57Now,
28:58this is the basic fact
29:00that sports writers
29:03and those who take a narrower view
29:07of the game
29:08would not have appreciated it.
29:10But I can tell you
29:12from my diplomatic experience
29:14that the key
29:15in these negotiations now
29:18will be the UAE person
29:21on the board
29:22and they will all look
29:24to the UAE
29:25to sort it out
29:26because the UAE
29:27will tell India
29:28as well as Pakistan,
29:30please don't embarrass us
29:31on our soil.
29:33And the Arab,
29:33peninsular Arab
29:34is very sensitive
29:36to these issues
29:38where his prestige
29:40or his nation's prestige
29:42is concerned.
29:43So again,
29:44two points.
29:45This game
29:46would have gone on
29:47in any eventuality
29:48and I'm sure
29:50that the Indians
29:51would have known this.
29:53That whatever the tantrums
29:54the Pakistanis may do,
29:55they will ultimately
29:56play the UAE
29:57because they will not
29:58want to embarrass the UAE.
30:00And the second point
30:01is that
30:02if there is a game
30:03between India
30:04and Pakistan,
30:05the UAE people
30:07will tell both sides
30:09that look,
30:09don't embarrass us here.
30:10We come to you
30:13from the stunning city
30:14of Jaipur
30:14and you have to be
30:15living under a rock
30:16if you don't know
30:18that our Prime Minister
30:19has turned 75 today.
30:22Joining me right now
30:23to wish him
30:24and also of course
30:25to enlist his achievements
30:27over his years
30:28in office
30:28is Lok Sabha MP
30:30Mansuri Swarwath.
30:31Mansuri,
30:31welcome to the point.
30:33Thank you for joining us
30:34this evening.
30:35I believe it's the first time
30:36we have you.
30:37Basuri,
30:37for somebody
30:38who's worked
30:39under the Prime Minister,
30:41for somebody
30:41whose mother
30:42worked under the Prime Minister,
30:44what do you feel
30:46on the years
30:47that Prime Minister Modi
30:48has governed
30:49and of course today
30:50turning 75?
30:55The Honourable Prime Minister
30:57Srinarendra Modi ji
30:58is turning 75.
31:00So first of all
31:00I would like this occasion
31:02to definitely
31:02wish him a very happy birthday.
31:04I think the last
31:0611 years
31:07and of course
31:08his over 25 years
31:10in politics
31:11as the CM of Gujarat
31:13and now as the
31:13Prime Minister of the country
31:15I think he has ensured
31:16that every single
31:18moment of his life
31:19has been dedicated
31:20to the greatness
31:21of this nation
31:21and that
31:23the fact that
31:24he always thinks
31:25of Seva,
31:26the fact that
31:26he always thinks
31:27about serving
31:28the people of India
31:29has ensured
31:31that the growth
31:32Gatha of India
31:33has been spectacular
31:34in the last years
31:35and that is why
31:36his 75th birthday
31:38is being celebrated
31:38as a Seva Pakwada
31:39by every Karakarta
31:41of the Bharatiya Janata
31:42party.
31:44Prithi ji,
31:44it's really astonishing.
31:46We used to be
31:47amongst the Fragile Five.
31:48We were the 11th economy
31:50under the UPA regime
31:52and just in 11 years
31:54Pradhan Mantri Modi ji
31:56has ensured
31:56that now
31:57we are the 4th largest
31:59economy in the world.
32:00We are the 3rd largest
32:01start-up ecosystem
32:02in the world
32:03and this really
32:05means a lot.
32:06In fact,
32:07I must share
32:07a personal anecdote
32:08with you.
32:09After the success
32:10of Operation Sindhuur,
32:12the Prime Minister
32:13had decided
32:14that there are going
32:15to be 7 delegations
32:17and India's voice
32:19is going to be placed
32:20in front of the world
32:21not just by
32:22BJP MPs
32:23but by all MPs
32:25who are crossing
32:26across political lines
32:28and that is why
32:29these 7 delegations
32:30had members
32:31from opposition parties
32:32as well
32:33and they went
32:34and spoke about
32:35the success
32:36of Operation Sindhuur.
32:38I think something
32:39that was really
32:40that chimed with me
32:41was that
32:42there is an innate
32:44belief of the Prime Minister
32:45in the democracy
32:47of this country
32:48and he knew
32:50that everybody
32:51will rise
32:52above petty politics
32:53and is going
32:54to only speak
32:55about Operation Sindhuur,
32:57is going to talk
32:58about,
32:58is going to sing
32:59in a single tune
33:00which is going
33:01to be pro-Bharat,
33:02pro-India
33:03and I salute him
33:06for this confidence
33:07because I know
33:08that's exactly
33:08what happened.
33:10Personally,
33:10I think that
33:11what something
33:11which I find remarkable
33:13is his attention
33:14to detail
33:15because when we
33:16returned from
33:17this diplomatic win,
33:18he held a high tea
33:19for all of us.
33:21We were about
33:2159 to 60 MPs.
33:23It was astonishing
33:25how he knew
33:26every minute detail
33:28about every MP,
33:30every delegation
33:31and he interacted
33:32for about
33:32two,
33:33two and a half hours
33:33asking people
33:35for suggestions.
33:36So even after
33:38having such a
33:38vast experience
33:40and being a teacher
33:41himself,
33:42I think he is
33:43somebody who is
33:43a perpetual student,
33:44who is always
33:45willing to learn,
33:46who is always
33:47willing to sort of
33:48take more suggestions
33:49and mancha
33:50ke wale ek hai,
33:51ke bharat apna
33:53shresht kare,
33:54bharat ka shresht
33:55obhare.
33:55Right.
33:59Bansuri,
34:00I want to ask you
34:00just one quick
34:01question before
34:01we let you go
34:02because you have
34:03served under
34:04Prime Minister's
34:05tutelage,
34:05your mother served
34:06actually beside him
34:07practically an equal.
34:10What have been
34:10your experience
34:11and I'm sure
34:12you might have
34:12anecdotes from
34:13your mother's time
34:14which she must
34:14have told you.
34:15I think the fact
34:20that he is
34:21fearless,
34:22he is deeply
34:22patriotic
34:23is something
34:24that I had
34:25learned from
34:26my mother's
34:27experience
34:27whether it was
34:28instantaneously
34:29agreeing to
34:30approaching the
34:32ICJ for
34:33Commander Jadhul's
34:34case to now
34:35experiencing
34:36live watching
34:37him at
34:38Lalkila
34:39and saying
34:40that he is
34:40you know
34:41what he said
34:41this time.
34:42I mean
34:43obviously you know
34:44that
34:44the current
34:46geopolitical
34:47situation
34:48is ever
34:49evolving
34:49and he is
34:51somebody
34:51who has
34:51handled it
34:52with tremendous
34:53maturity
34:53without compromising
34:55India's interests
34:57and he said
34:57that for this
34:58country's farmers
34:59and for this
35:00country's dairy
35:00industry
35:01and for this
35:01country's
35:02MSMEs
35:03are made
35:04of their
35:05wooded
35:05trees.
35:07They are
35:07nidr,
35:08nirbhik
35:09and they always
35:09bear a
35:10kawach
35:11and they
35:12bear a
35:13hearted
35:13ring.
35:18Maasuri,
35:19thank you
35:19for taking
35:20the time
35:20out and
35:20joining us.
35:21Appreciate
35:21it.
35:23With that
35:23we were
35:24wishing the
35:24Prime Minister
35:25a very happy
35:2675th
35:27Gautari
35:27and a long
35:28life ahead.
35:29With that
35:29it's a wrap
35:30on this
35:30edition of
35:31To The Point.
35:31Thank you
35:32for watching.
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