We are a peace loving, cricket nation and we want to play cricket matches against India. We have suffered to an extent that for 10 years, we could not host Test matches in our country and we know the importance of proving state security. We do that to every country, sending their first team or even their second-string squad. We would do it to India happily, and a generation which has not watched India come to Pakistan since 2008 will block the roads and will turn up in stadiums to watch Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Surya Kumar Yadav and others.
A regular cricket fan in India and Pakistan has nothing to do with geopolitics and politics of either country, sports and politics have nothing to do with each other. Even in the toughest of times, sportsmen have acted as ambassadors and bridges between the two countries. I request you to take this matter of Asia Cup hosting rights as positively as possible. The PCB has even offered a hybrid model where other teams can play their matches in Pakistan and India can play at a neutral venue, please do accept that. And please give us assurances to travel to India for the 2025 Champions Trophy.
I was not here in 1987, but my father told me the story of him wanting to travel to Kolkata had India and Pakistan played that final. I have witnessed Pakistan playing the quarterfinal in 1996, the entire 2006 Champions Trophy, the 2011 World Cup semifinal, the 2016 T20 World Cup - all in India and I am sure Pakistan would love to play the 2023 World Cup in India as well. Our players, including Shoaib Akhtar and Shahid Afridi, tell stories of them receiving immense love from people in India. Wasim Akram still misses traveling to India, Shoaib Malik is always full of praise and so are other players.
If India comes to Pakistan for the Asia Cup or the Champions Trophy, they will receive 10x welcome to the other 10 teams which have visited Pakistan in the last five years or so, doors of our houses will be open in case hotels aren't enough. We have heard stories of Inzamam Ul Haq eating at Ganguly's place and Afridi hosting the entire Indian team at his place. We have grown up hearing Wasim Akram and Sachin Tendulkar's warmth and fondness for each other. Whenever Kapil Dev and Imran Khan or Zaheer Abbas are together in a show featuring legends before a mega event, they cannot stop themselves from applauding their counterparts.
I'm writing this heartfelt note to you, not as a journalist or a content creator, but as a cricket fan, who grew up watching India vs Pakistan matches in the 90s, and who skipped school to watch Sehwag, Tendulkar, Dravid, Yuvraj, Dhoni and Laxman in Lahore. Covering cricket matches has now become my work, and this cricket fan wants to relive those moments once again. Please make this happen. Peace!
