Houston, Texas: Former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed discussed the close relationship between Pakistani and Indian cricketers during a meet and greet event in Houston. Despite the ongoing deadlock between the cricket boards of both countries regarding the venue for the Asia Cup, Sarfaraz’s insights reveal the unbreakable bond between Pak-Ind Cricketers.
Sarfaraz emphasized that the players from both nations have always shared a good rapport. In the past, frequent matches between the two teams helped foster a positive bond. However, due to strained relations, India has not toured Pakistan since 2008, and they are not planning to do so for the upcoming Asia Cup in 2023.
The last bilateral series between these arch-rivals occurred in 2012, when Pakistan visited India for limited-overs matches. Since then, their encounters have been limited to ICC and ACC events.
Looking ahead, Sarfaraz expressed hope that Pakistan would once again triumph in a major tournament before the 2023 World Cup, which will be hosted by India.
Reflecting on his own career, Sarfaraz credited former Pakistan wicketkeeper Moin Khan as his role model during the early stages of his cricketing journey. He also acknowledged the influence of Indian great MS Dhoni, who serves as an inspiration to cricketers worldwide.
When asked about his most memorable moments, Sarfaraz mentioned the U19 World Cup victory and the historic triumph in the 2017 Champions Trophy as significant highlights.
Sarfaraz, who captained Pakistan from 2016 to 2019, holds an impressive record. Under his leadership, Pakistan secured their first-ever Champions Trophy title and achieved a remarkable feat of 11 consecutive T20I series victories.
Published in PakWeb, June 14th, 2023.
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