Former Pakistan cricketer, Javed Miandad asked Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as to what things are keeping both the nations away to play a bilateral series against each other when they are frequently facing each other in ICC tournaments.
Javed Miandad said it's beyond his understanding that why don't both of the nations play a bilateral series against each other, even after playing so many cricket matches in tournaments like Asia Cup, World Cup and Champions Trophy.
The last time Pakistan played against India in the Champions Trophy final, they beat the Men in Blue by a huge margin of 180 runs.
“The more we play, the more hatred will end among both countries and relations would get better,” he said and added it is time the politicians stop politicising the matter.
The 61-year old cricketer feels if India and Pakistan play together in any bilateral series then only both the nations could get their relation sorted. Javed Miandad said “We (Pakistan and India) can rule the world of cricket if we work and play together”
Miandad even said it is a good decision taken by ICC to change 2021 Champions Trophy into a World T20 format as people enjoy watching the shortest format of the game the most.
“However, the ICC must keep a strict eye on match-fixing issues as shorter formats involve a bigger threat of fixing,” he said.
However Pakistan's all-rounder, Shoaib Malik will be ending his ODI cricketing career after the end of 2019 World Cup. Malik who has been a part of Pakistan's national team since 1999 now wants to concentrate on shortest format of the game.
“The 2019 World Cup is my last event of the 50-over cricket. I will try to play T20 cricket if I continue to stay fit and put up performances,” Shoaib Malik added. I have set goals for myself and one of them is winning the World Cup 2019. I already have two major cricketing titles in my career, the T20 World Cup and the Champions Trophy, and now this is the only title left,” he said.
Pakistan's tour to Zimbabwe is starting on July 1 where Zimbabwe will play against Pakistan in the opener of the series.
(Inputs from Gulf News)
