It’s been a long wait for the fans to see India and Pakistan compete in a bilateral series of cricket. The last such instance was in 2012, 13. From that time on the two teams have encountered one another only in the forums of multi-nation vessels, the most notable being the Asia Cup and ICC events.
The gap of regular contests between India and Pakistan has created a space in the hearts of the people that demands the Indian sub continent encounters once again.
However, in recent times as Nick Hockley the Cricket Australia chief executive mentioned the possibility of conducting the India-Pakistan bilateral series in Australia, it did not find many interesting outcomes from the two boards.
As for the latest edition of ICC T20 World Cup that took place in 2024, India and Pakistan had their group stage match in New York with India emerging victors by just 6 runs. Rohit Sharma’s Men of Blue eventually lifted the trophy, whereas Pakistan of Babar Azam at that time was knocked out in the group stage matches.
The last series in which India toured Pakistan, or to be precise, Pakistan hosted India was in 2005, 06. Pakistan won the Test series which consisted of three matches 1-0 and India won the ODI series 4 – 1.
In the recent years, Pakistan has welcomed teams from Australia, Bangladesh, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka iterating West Indies as well. This has made former Pakistan wicket keeper batsman Kamran Akmal, asking why India can’t go to Pakistan when Australia have done it, even question BCCI.
This is his view on what a clash of cricket families’ brings to the people. ‘Even India and Pakistan bring their supporters together, although there many friendly foes in the world. This is why it is known as the mother of all clashes.’ A lot of India tour was made during the years — 2004, 2007, 2011.
There was so much love receive from India and a whole more. We came to know that a home team’s crowd will always egg the home side on which is the obvious norm but they isolated opposition who were also going through the same thing.
We faced showers of love from Indian supporters from the out shots of our hotel rooms, myself being a member of the Pakistan team in more than one instance. If any team fancies their chances at playing the game our enjoying the game, please I recommend a trip to India. Because they are the best fans in the world’ Akmal quippe to TimesofIndia.com.
“Looking back, I want to say that Pakistan fans are fans of so many Indian cricketers. Whenever our India went to Pakistan, our fans welcomed them with a lot of smiles which was a pleasure. Virender Sehwag has mentioned that he has been appreciated a lot in Pakistan and that has been the case with him several times. Dada (Sourav Ganguly) also has a lot of affection for the fans in Pakistan, so much that he has spoke a lot. Our fans cheer for the Indian team in the same manner as it is for the Pakistan team. And Our cricket dreams that the India vs Pakistan bilateral series is playe. And we all are missing the India vs Pakistan series,” he said.
“Akmal was a member of the Pakistan cricket team which toured India in 2005, 2007 and 2013 and played the India tour in 2004 and 2006 to Pakistan when it comeback to them”.
“At this moment, I feel quite lucky that I went to India and had the chance to play in many series, both that is at home or away,” he said. “I love those excitements and I want that more of those should happen. But India needs to come to Pakistan and Pakistan needs to travel to India. Let’s set aside the politics for a while and just go out there and enjoy and play cricket”, he said.
“Australia can come to Pakistan, so how come India cannot come? There is no reason or excuse as to why the India-Pakistan bilateral series should not reason for happening. It is the case that The two governments must sit and negotiate. This will be good for cricket,” he said.
India’s participation in the forthcoming Champions Trophy in Pakistan slated for February – March of next year is also in jeopardy, because of the tense political relations between the two countries.
Bolo kuch Pehle aapne Asia Cup le liya ab Champions Trophy ki baatein kar rahe hain kyun kar rahe hain aap aisa? (first you took away the Asia Cu from Pakistn, now taliing about Champions Trophy, why?)…It is a matter of great pride and achievement that Pakistan has worked tremendously hard to revive cricket in the country.
If India calls Pakistan, our government will not stop us. They will say, ‘Yaa, go, play.’ The Indian government should do the same. Politics must be kept out of cricket and cricket must be played,’ Akmal said.
Pakistan Players In IPL
Pakistan players have been rule out in the Indian Premier (IPL): such players can never appear as yet there have been foreign players. In the very 1st IPL season, some of the best children dramatically featured actors from charge money y from world cricket arena.
Some of the best Pakistani Cricketers such as Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Akhtar & Sohail Tanvir, performed in the 1st edition of IPL even though it was a huge political risk at that time. Also, Tanvir was the leading wicket-taker in 2008 too. However, since the Mumbai attacks in 2008, IPL has prohibited the usage of players in the league.
“BCCI has its own rules. There is enough discussion to put behind where the argument is as to why Pakistan players do not play IPL if the bilateral series starts. If you don’t want to give us a chance to play in the IPL, that is absolutely alright. We do not want it. We are not bothering about those lines. They have our own PSL. I know PSL cannot compete with IPL as far as infrastructure and money is concerned but, come on, let’s play international cricket,” said Kamran.
