A senior minister in the Jammu and Kashmir government has said India should stop playing cricket against Pakistan because of ongoing problems between the two countries.
Cabinet Minister Satish Sharma spoke to reporters outside the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday (10 February 2026). He linked sports to the bigger issues of diplomacy and security. Sharma is also the Minister for Youth Services and Sports, among other roles. Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
He questioned why India should play cricket with Pakistan. “Why are you playing with a country that is stabbing you in the back? We should not play with them,” he said. This comes amid talk of a scheduled India-Pakistan cricket match, likely in an international tournament like the T20 World Cup.
Sharma pointed to the loss of lives in Jammu and Kashmir. “They are martyring our soldiers. So many Kashmiri people have been martyred. So many Jammu people have been martyred,” he said. He accused Pakistan of supporting violence that harms people in the region day and night.
The minister added a thought about how to deal with hate. “We are people of love. We know that whenever hatred is defeated, it is defeated by love. Hatred does not defeat hatred,” he explained. But he still called the idea of playing cricket wrong. “Anyway, let’s talk. This [engagement] is wrong,” he added.
In recent weeks, there has been debate over India-Pakistan cricket matches. Earlier in February, some reports said Pakistan pulled out of a T20 World Cup tie against India. Politicians in J&K had mixed views, with some saying sports and politics should stay separate. But Sharma took a strong stand against any sporting links.
On the home front, Sharma made strong comments about politics in Jammu and Kashmir. He demanded a written apology from the Leader of the Opposition. He invited them to join the fight to restore full statehood for J&K. “I am ready to give my life,” he said about this cause.
He also criticised some BJP ministers for changing their views on key issues. “Even if I lose my life, I will not take a U-turn in this war,” Sharma declared, showing he plans to stay firm on his positions.
Sharma’s remarks come at a time when India and Pakistan have no regular bilateral cricket series due to tensions. They only meet in multi-nation events run by the International Cricket Council (ICC). His call reflects wider feelings in parts of India about linking sports to national security and cross-border issues.
The comments were reported by Kashmir News Service (KNS) and picked up by other local media like Kashmir Life. No immediate response came from the central government or cricket authorities. The issue highlights how sports can become tied to bigger political and emotional debates in the region.
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