Shahid Afridi: ‘It would have been really nice if India had come (for Asia Cup)’

Shahid Afridi has urged BCCI and the Indian government to allow the Indian cricket team to tour Pakistan for the Asia Cup tournament. The former explosive batter said such a move would ensure better relationship between the two countries and shun those who want differences to continue.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah had previously hinted that India are not going to travel to Pakistan, thus calling for the Asia Cup to be played in a neutral nation.

In retaliation, Pakistan Cricket Board have maintained their desire to host the tournament failing which they’re inclined to skip the ODI World Cup in India.

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Amid the standoff, former Pakistan skipper Afridi has asked BCCI to take ‘responsibility’ as the bigger and powerful board to improve relations between the two countries. He also said there are no security concerns, as displayed by the regular hosting of international teams recently.

“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 the generation of wars and fights. We want relationships to get better,” said Afridi during a Legends League Cricket (LLC) press conference in Doha.

“What can we do if we want to befriend someone and he does not talk to us? There is no doubt that the BCCI is a very strong board, but when you are strong, you have more responsibility. You don’t try to make more enemies, you need to make friends.”

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India and Pakistan haven’t played each other in a bilateral series since 2012-13 and the Men in Blue last visited Pakistan in 2008.

“When you make more friends, you become stronger. I still have friends in the Indian team when we meet, we discuss, the other day I met Raina and I asked for a bat, he gave me a bat,” said the 46-year-old.

“As far as the security concern in Pakistan is concerned, we had many international teams traveling here recently. We used to face security threats from India as well, but if permission is received from the government of both countries then the tour will happen. If the tour doesn’t happen, we will give those people a chance. All they want is that there should be no cricket between them,” insisted Shahid Afridi.

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