India and Pakistan must resume bilateral cricket, says Zaheer Abbas

Zaheer Abbas advocates for India-Pakistan cricket ties, emphasizing the importance of playing each other in both countries.

Zaheer Abbas, the legendary Pakistan batter handed the moniker of “Asian Bradman”, has stressed that India and Pakistan should resume bilateral cricket ties.

“I feel very happy when Asian countries do well. We must play together. India and Pakistan have to play against each other,” Abbas said at a gathering organised by his friend V.K. Tripathi, a retired IRS officer and an Urdu poet, at the prestigious Cricket Club of India.

“Why neutral countries, talk positive, we should play each other in each other’s country. World Cup, Indians came in large number to Pakistan. It is possible again. Matches should happen again, each nation visit each other. I don’t understand why it is not happening. Both countries are neighbours, both love cricket. In my opinion, they should be playing.”

The evening also witnessed Karsan Ghavri, the former India allrounder, and Kenia Jayantilal, the former Test opener, joining to meet their former colleague. Ghavri toured Pakistan in 1978 on a tour that’s famous for Abbas’ heroics and his domination against spin.

With home umpires officiating in international cricket, Test matches of yesteryears are full of tales of umpires being the 12th man for the home team. The septuagenerians had no qualms in narrating famous tales.

“I should not be saying, but when we played in Pakistan, [umpire] Shakoor Rana was so firm that he was more firm than Asif Iqbal and Imran Khan. They said, things will happen in Pakistan the way we desire,” Ghavri said.

“When I got to play in the third Test, Bishan Bedi went inside. Sunil Gavaskar was stand-in captain and gave me the ball. I bowled spin. Mushtaq Mohammed swept me, missed and was hit on the back leg in front of middle stump. Shakoor Rana was beginning to raise his finger and Mushtaq from his sweep position shouted, ‘Khabardaar [Beware]’. Shakoor Rana’s finger quickly went down. In the evening, Mushtaqbhai came to our hotel. Bedi asked him, so much bullying. These kinds of stories are a lot.”