New Delhi: A cloud of doubt has enveloped the upcoming Davis Cup tie between India and Pakistan, slated to be held in Islamabad next month. On Monday, the selection committee had named the squad which will travel to Pakistan.
With the conditions no longer conducive for play, the authorities will now wait for a couple of days and then request the International Tennis Federation to shift the Davis Cup tie from Islamabad to a neutral venue. Both the teams have not met each other since 2006 in the Davis Cup.
If India don't play the tie, they will be slapped with a fine; Hong Kong too were fined after they refused to play an away tie in Pakistan. They were not only fined but also relegated to a lower division.
An Indian tennis team last went to Pakistan in 1964, with the visitors securing a 4-0 victory. Since the draw was out in February, there was a lot of talk of India not going to Pakistan in the wake of the Pulwama attack, in view of the strained political ties between the two countries.
But after the ITF gave Pakistan the green signal to host the Davis Cup tie in Islamabad, Indian authorities started the process of checking player availability and sorting out visa applications. The sports ministry has also cleared the Indian team's participation in the tie.
By Aakash Kumar
