'Aap Indian team ko bheje toh sahi' - Shahid Afridi appeals India to play Asia Cup in Pakistan

Former Legendary Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi urged the Indian Cricket Board to allow Team India to tour Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023 as it will help in improving bilateral relations between the two countries. Earlier, the official cricket board’s Secretary in India Jai Shah indicated that India will not travel to Pakistan and talked about holding the Asia Cup at a neutral venue instead of Pakistan.

However, the venue is yet to be decided as the Indian Cricket Board is in no mood to let the Indian players travel to Pakistan due to security reasons. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced if India doesn’t come to Pakistan then they will be boycotting the upcoming 50-over World Cup which will be hosted by India later this year.

“Aap Indian team ko bheje toh sahi, humlog sar aankhon par rakhenge (You just send the Indian team to Pakistan and we will welcome them with great pleasure). Before this, an Indian from Mumbai, won't take his name, had threatened Pakistan that they won't be allowed in India. But we kept all aside and our government had taken it up as a responsibility and the Pakistan team did go to India. So threats should not ruin our relationship. Threats will remain,” he said.

This is not a generation of wars and fights: Shahid Afridi

Afridi also opined that both countries should keep the political dispute aside and should start playing against each other. He also recalled when the Pakistan team came to India in 2005 and had a brilliant series.

"It would have been really nice if India had come. It would have been a step towards cricket and Pakistan for India. This is not a generation of wars and fights, we want relationships to get better. We have played against India with a lot of love and affection. I remember when we came to India, we got an outstanding response. If you remember the 2005 series, Harbhajan and Yuvraj Singh used to go shopping and to restaurants, and no one used to charge them money. This is the beauty of the two nations," he said.

The explosive all-rounder further added, “If we want to be friends with someone and he does not talk to us then what can we do? There is no doubt the Indian cricket board is a very strong board, but when you are strong, you have more responsibility. Don't try to make more enemies, you need to make friends." He added.