Ex-Star Calls for Indian Team’s Participation in Pakistan’s ICC Champions Trophy
The most pressing concern is still whether the Indian squad that won the T20 World Cup would play as Pakistan gets ready to host the ICC Champions Trophy early in 2019. It’s been more than ten years since India and Pakistan last played cricket in Pakistan, and it’s not clear when this will change.
Former cricket players from both countries have weighed in on the discussion with varying remarks.
Citing the unstable security scenario, veteran Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh expressed reservations about India’s possible visit to Pakistan.
However, ex-pacer Tanvir Ahmed of Pakistan has publicly urged the Indian squad to come to Pakistan, citing Pakistan’s previous trip to India for the ODI World Cup last year.
Tanvir Ahmed praises the Pakistan cricket team for being “brave and fearless” in a video clip that has gone viral on social media. The team traveled to India to play cricket. In the video, he assures the Indian team of their safety and extends an invitation for them to visit Pakistan.
“Sher hài hum log sher hai, hum log sher hai. Hum log tere mulk me aa ke khel ke gaye hai. Aake dikha….Hum toh kah rahe hai aake khelo. Security denge, sab kuch denge tum logon ko. Aa toh sahi ek dafaa [We are lions, we are lions.
We visited your nation and played cricket. Come on over and demonstrate. We’d like to have you over to play. We promise to give you everything and to ensure security. Simply visit once],” Tanvir Ahmed remarked.
“Yeh sirf Pakistan ke playeron ka kaam hai, bhai. Sirf Pakistan ke player aate hai aur khelke chale jaate hai. Chahe jeete, chahe haare, jis tarah ki cricket khele. Woh India jaake khelke wapas aye the. Isko kahte hai ek daler team aur daler players [It’s only the Pakistan players who do this. Only Pakistani players come and play and go back, regardless of winning or losing, and no matter how they play. They went to India and returned after playing there. This is what you call a brave team and brave players],” he added.
Pakistan has promised that all of the Indian team’s tournament matches will take place in Lahore and that the squad will remain at the same hotel the entire time they are there. This arrangement is intended to put more secure and effective procedures in place.
Since the Indian cricket team declined to go to Pakistan for the Asia Cup last year, the India matches were held in Sri Lanka. The Indian government restricts cricket matches between Pakistan and India to ICC or ACC events, so the two countries have not played a bilateral series since 2012.
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