Pace Bowling Great Wasim Akram has encouraged Pakistan and India’s cricketers to ignore the noise and enjoy the game when they meet in a highly charged Asia Cup T20 match on Sunday.
The A-competition in Dubai is the first collision on the cricket field between the countries, because four months ago a military conflict brought the relations between the nuclear armed neighbors in their lowest point in decades.
India opposed calls to boycott the match between the couple, who have not played in a bilateral series since the fatal attacks in Mumbai in 2008.
“Enjoy, it’s a game of cricket,” said legendary left-old Akram prior to the Sunday competition, which could possibly be the first of three high-current meetings between the countries in the T20 tournament.
“Forget anything but cricket. One team will win and one team will lose,” he said.
“Just enjoy the moment if you win the game. Busy, enjoy it and show discipline because this is just a game. It is fans for both teams and both sets.”
A complete house of 25,000 is expected in the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and Akram remembered how he flourished in such pressure situations during his 19-year-old international career.
“I enjoyed every match against India, and also players from the opposition,” said Akram, who led a coach from Pakistan to India in 1999, despite threats from extremists.
The 59-year-old was also part of the Pakistan tour, where the two countries came close to the war.
Akram advised an inexperienced Pakistan team to think of the larger whole and not to be taken away by the hype of playing T20 world champions and arch rivals India.
“Pakistan has a chance because they won a Tri series last week,” said Akram, referring to a T20 series with Afghanistan and the VAE.
“They should not think that we just have to win against India, think of winning the Asia Cup,” he said.
“You can lose from a large team, but even get up and play well in the tournament.
“I don’t think the match will be one -sided like India,” said Akram of India’s opening rvot on Wednesday, where they only needed 4.3 overs to reach their goal after rejecting the hosts for 57.
“Everything can happen in this tournament,” he added.
