The India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2023 clash last week gained a lot of traction. The two teams faced off for the first time since the 2022 T20 World Cup and there was enough entertainment in store. Indian batters were troubled by Pakistan pacers Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah as they could score only 266. However, Indian bowlers did not get a chance to prove their mettle as rain washed out the entire second innings. Before the match and even after the match, the Indian cricket team and Pakistan cricket team members could be seen sharing light moments.
Former Indian cricket team opener Gautam Gambhir, a member of the 2011 World Cup-winning team, said on Star Sports that the Indian team is representing a billion people and shouldn’t be displaying acts of friendship inside the stadium.
“When you play on the field for your national team, you must leave the friendship outside the boundary ropes. Game face hona zaroori hai. Dosti bahaar rehni chahiye. There has to be an aggression in the eyes of both sets of players,” Gautam Gambhir said
“You can be as friendly as you want after those six or seven hours of cricket. Those hours are very important because you’re not just representing yourself, you’re representing a nation of over a billion.
“These days you see players of rival teams patting each other on the back and exchanging fist bumps during a match. You would never see that a few years ago,” Gautam Gambhir added.
Now, former Pakistan cricket team captain Shahid Afridi has commented on the subject, saying he does not subscribe to Gautam Gambhir’s school of thought.
“That is his thought. I think differently. We are cricketers and ambassadors as well, we all have fans across the globe. So it is better to send out a message of love and respect. Yes there is aggression on the field, but there is life off the field as well,” Shahid Afridi told Pakistan media on Wednesday.
Shahid Afridi responded to Gautam Gambhir’s statement.#PAKvIND | #Cricket | #Pakistan | #ShahidAfridi | #GautamGambhir | #AsiaCup2023 | #Karachi | #India pic.twitter.com/Dqb2UHfbyW
— Khel Shel (@khelshel) September 5, 2023
Indian cricket will again face Pakistan on Sunday in a Super 4 clash at the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, Going into the World Cup, 2011 winner Gautam Gambhir named the one man who can make a huge difference to the side’s chances at the quadrennial event.
“We talk about Yuvraj Singh, MS’ innings, my innings, but actually it was Zaheer Khan, who set the entire tournament. You look at the spell against England where he got Andrew Strauss, you look at the spell at the World Cup final. Five over four maidens, 1/1. That’s how you set the tone. That’s why I can’t look beyond Jaspreet Bumrah if India has to…he has to have an A-tournament,” Gautam Gambhir said on Star Sports.
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