"We will express concerns to ICC. We are in talks with government on scheduled India-Pakistan clash in World Cup" - Vinod Rai © Getty
Chief of BCCI's Committee of Administrators, Vinod Rai, on Friday (February 22), stated that the Indian Cricket Board has not made a decision, one way or the other, about playing Pakistan at the 2019 World Cup.

There have been talks of India potentially forfeiting the June 16 encounter at Manchester in the wake of the Pulwama militant attack where over 40 Indian soldiers were killed after a suicide bomber crashed into their convoy in Kashmir. The incident has triggered a strong public reaction in India. However, Rai confirmed that any decision on the scheduled World Cup game would be made in consultation with the government of India.

"No decision yet on India's World Cup match against Pakistan," Rai said after a top-level BCCI meeting. "We will express concerns to ICC. We are in talks with government on scheduled India-Pakistan clash in World Cup."

While Rai made no mention of seeking a specific ban on Pakistan at the World Cup, as was widely reported, a letter signed by BCCI CEO Rahul Johri was addressed to Shashank Manohar (ICC Chairman), Dave Richardson (ICC CEO), Colin Graves (ECB Chairman) and Steve Elworthy (Managing Director of the World Cup), expressing BCCI's concerns and sentiments emerging in the aftermath of the "dastardly terrorist attack which was carried out on Indian soild by a terror outfit based out of Pakistan."

"In view of the aforesaid terrorist attack, BCCI fears for the safety and security of players and match officials participating in upcoming ICC events including the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019," the letter said.

"BCCI urges the cricketing community to sever ties with countries from which terrorism emanates," the letter went on to state.

For it's part, the BCCI has decided to call off the regular curtain-raising opening ceremony ahead of the forthcoming season of the Indian Premier League, with the funds of the ceremony instead redirected to Pulwama martyrs. "We'll not have a regular IPL opening ceremony and the amount of the budget for the opening ceremony will be given to families of the victims of this terror attack," Rai said.