Batting for friendship

‘SHAMI bhai kaise ho?’ (How are you, brother Shami?) Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi said this to India’s Mohammad Shami as they shared a warm hug and bowling tips five days before their countries clash in the T20 World Cup.

This is not the first time players between the fierce rivals have shared cordial relationships.

After their match in last year’s T20 World Cup, India great Virat Kohli hugged Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan despite his side suffering an agonising loss moments earlier.

Rizwan later said he would “pray” for Kohli to recover from the slump in batting form that he was going through at the time.

A Muslim saying he would pray for a Hindu – if only this kind of camaraderie and warmth could filter into wider society.

India and Pakistan haven’t played a bilateral cricket series in a decade. The two sides have been on the verge of all-out war on a number of occasions during that time.

The ill-feeling between the two nations is based on culture, religion, and the disputed region of Kashmir, among others.

But what Indian and Pakistani cricketers are showing is that there is unity between people who once shared the same homeland.

“Whenever we play against Pakistan – we met them in the Asia Cup and now – we talk about how are things back home, how the families are,” India captain Rohit Sharma said when he was asked what he spoke to his counterpart Babar Azam about during the captains’ meet-up before the tournament began.

“Even our previous generation cricketers also told us the same thing. We just talk about what is going on, how is life and what new car they have bought or they are about to buy,” Sharma added.

Cricket fans of both nations deserve a bilateral series. Indian fans have never seen the likes of Azam and Afridi grace Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium or Eden Gardens in Kolkata. And likewise, Pakistan fans have missed out witnessing the glory years of Kohli.

And who knows, maybe this might lead to Pakistani cricket stars finally playing in the IPL