Gavaskar defends Jay Shah amid Abrar Ahmed signing [Source: AFP]Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar recently sparked a controversy when he slammed the Kavya Maran-owned Sun Group for investing in Pakistan player, Abrar Ahmed, in The Hundred auction. The Indian franchise went hard at acquiring Abrar’s services and paid a whopping INR 2.35 crore to get him to join the Sunrisers Leeds.Gavaskar lashed out at the IPL franchise by stating that the money paid to Pakistan players indirectly contributes to the Pakistan government purchasing weapons to harm the Indian soldiers, and civilians.Gavaskar's comments that triggered backlashThe legendary Indian cricketer didn’t mince his words as he showed his frustration towards the Sunrisers franchise for buying a Pakistan player, and this is what he had to say about the owner, Kavya Maran.“Whether it is an Indian entity or an overseas subsidiary of the entity that is making the payment, if the owner is Indian, then he or she is contributing to the Indian casualties. It’s as simple as that. Daniel Vettori, the coach of the team in The Hundred who hails from New Zealand, may not understand this simple dynamic, and so may have wanted some Pakistani players in his team, but surely the owner should have had an understanding of the situation and discouraged the purchase. Is winning a tournament in a format that no other country plays in much more important than Indian lives?” Gavaskar stated.Gavaskar defends his action amid fan backlashGavaskar’s harsh comments didn’t sit well with many in the Indian public and drew sharp criticism from Pakistan-born England player Azeem Rafiq, who questioned why Gavaskar continues to commentate on India vs. Pakistan matches.Responding to the backlash he is receiving, the former India captain clarified that his earlier stance does not contradict his role as commentator.“Yes, I have been on commentary panels of ICC and ACC. The revenue goes to all participating countries from ICC and ACC, but not from an Indian entity as far as I know. I don’t understand how you can say that I am a contributor since I am not making any payment to any commentator, Indian or any other nationality," the legendary player told Mumbai Miirror.Also Read: Pakistan-Born Player Slams Sunil Gavaskar Over His Remarks On Abrar AhmedGavaskar comes to Jay Shah's defence amid India-Pakistan World Cup scheduleSince 2010, in almost every ICC tournament, India and Pakistan have been clubbed in the same group, as their riveting battles generate a substantial amount of revenue and directly benefit the ICC. The two teams were placed in the same group in the recently concluded T20 World Cup, and fans have expressed their displeasure with this.Many fans have questioned why Jay Shah, the ICC Chairman, keeps India and Pakistan in the same bracket. However, Gavaskar came to Jay Shah’s defence as he stated that the scheduling is done by the ICC, and the Chairman has no role in it.“Jay Shah is only the chairman of ICC. India and Pakistan have been playing against each other for decades, long before he became chairman. Trying to suggest that he is responsible for the current matches is absolute rubbish. The ICC does the scheduling, not Jay Shah, and it is the ICC and ACC that distribute revenues to PCB,” Gavaskar said.With a new statement released by Gavaskar, it would be interesting to see if he further faces any backlash from the fans.Also Read: Sarfaraz Ahmed Exposes The 1 Mole In Pakistan Team Behind All The Fights After Retirement
