Former Pak star wants India to travel Pakistan. (Picture Credit: ANI)
India last travelled to Pakistan in 2008 for the Asia Cup and played six matches under MS Dhoni’s leadership at the National Stadium in Karachi.
Former Pakistani wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal wants the Indian cricket team to travel to Pakistan next year for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which is scheduled to take place across three venues—Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi—from February 19 to March 9. India last travelled to Pakistan in 2008 for the Asia Cup, and since then, due to tense political relations between the two countries, it has never crossed the border.
According to 42-year-old Akmal, who travelled with the Pakistani team to India for the 2011 ODI World Cup as well as the white-ball series in 2012-13, when teams like Australia can travel to Pakistan, then why can’t India? He feels that politics should stay away from cricket.
“I consider myself lucky that I travelled to India and played several series, both home and away. I really enjoyed those times. India should travel to Pakistan, and Pakistan should go to India. Let’s keep the political matters aside and play and love cricket,” Akmal was quoted as saying by the Times of India.
“When a team like Australia can visit Pakistan, why not India? The India-Pakistan bilateral series should happen. Both governments need to sit and talk. This will benefit cricket,” he added.
Kamran feels if India doesn’t travel to Pakistan next year, then the ICC Champions Trophy will move out of the country, and he wants BCCI to avoid that.
“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 Cup from Pakistan; now talking about the Champions Trophy, why?) … Pakistan has done a lot of hard work to bring cricket back to the country. If India invites Pakistan, our government will never stop us. They will say, ‘Go and play.’ The Indian government should do the same. Let’s keep politics aside and play cricket.”
The former cricketer, who played in various India-Pakistan matches during his playing days, was full of praise for Indian fans and called them as the best in the world.
“India vs Pakistan matches bring fans together. That’s why it’s known as the mother of all clashes. We toured India several times. We received so much love from India and a lot of support. There is no doubt that the home team always gets support from its home crowd, but we also got the same kind of support. Indian fans showered us with love whenever the Pakistan team, including me, stepped out of the hotel room, I mean, off the field. If any team wants to play good cricket or enjoy the game, please visit India. Indian fans are the best in the world,” Akmal said.