Former Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi believes there was ‘no chance’ of cricketing ties between India and Pakistan as long as Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in power.
Shahid Afridi opened up on IPL, India-Pakistan series. (Getty Images)
HIGHLIGHTS
- No such chances of resuming cricket relations, of Indo-Pak series: Afridi
- I believe that my overall experience of India has been excellent: Afridi
- I know that IPL is a very big brand in the world of cricket: Shahid Afridi
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi feels that bilateral cricket series between India and Pakistan won’t be possible until Narendra Modi’s government is in power.
“The government of Pakistan is always ready but with the present regime [in India] there are no such chances of [resuming] cricket relations, of [Pakistan-India] series. With Modi in power, I don’t see it’s going to happen,” Shahid Afridi was quoted as saying by Arab News.
Shahid Afridi also believes that the Pakistani cricketers are missing a big opportunity by not playing the Indian Premier League (IPL) as the cash-rich T20 league is a very big brand in the world of cricket.
“I know that IPL is a very big brand in the world of cricket and it is an excellent opportunity for, whether it’s Babar Azam or many other Pakistani players to go there [to India] and play under pressure and share dressing rooms. So in my opinion Pakistani players are missing a big opportunity,” Afridi added.
“No doubt, the way I have enjoyed cricket in India; I have always appreciated the love and respect that I have gotten from the people of India. And now when I speak on social media, I get many messages from India and I reply to many people. I believe that my overall experience of India has been excellent,” Shahid Afridi said when he was asked if he was more loved in India than in Pakistan.
After a long, long wait, the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 got underway in the UAE on September 19 and we have reached the end of the first week of the tournament with the completion of 7 single-headers. The opening week has certainly lived up to the hype, offering a Super Over, a record hundred, a six-fest and some setbacks for big names.