Former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin has weighed in on the perennial debate surrounding India-Pakistan cricket matches, particularly in light of their upcoming Asia Cup encounter. Azharuddin expressed his perplexity at the current state of affairs, questioning the rationale behind avoiding bilateral series while continuing to compete in multinational tournaments.
“If you don’t play bilateral, don’t play tournaments either,” Azharuddin stated, highlighting the perceived inconsistency in the cricketing ties between the two nations. For years, political tensions have led to a complete halt in bilateral series between India and Pakistan, yet they regularly face each other in ICC (International Cricket Council) and ACC (Asian Cricket Council) sanctioned events.
Azharuddin’s remarks come as cricket fans anticipate the highly charged Asia Cup fixture between the arch-rivals. He also sought to clarify a recent incident where several Indian veteran cricketers withdrew from a Legends League match against Pakistan. He explained that this was for a privately organized event not sanctioned by either the ICC or the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India), drawing a clear distinction between such events and official tournaments like the Asia Cup, which fall under the purview of the ACC.
His comments underscore the ongoing complexity of cricketing relations between India and Pakistan, where political considerations often overshadow sporting ones, leading to an intriguing and often debated dynamic in the world of cricket.
