More Chances Of Snowfall In Lahore Than India-Pakistan Series: Sunil Gavaskar
Published - 14 Apr 2020, 08:30 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:05 AM
Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar had courted a huge controversy when he recently came up with an idea of staging a three-match India-Pakistan ODI bilateral charity series in order to raise funds for the Coronavirus affected people of both India and Pakistan.
The novel pandemic that is the coronavirus [COVID-19] has brought the entire world to a screeching halt. Akhtar had even suggested to divide the money between the two countries besides saying that the TV rating for the series will blow through the roof, ultimately paving way for the resumption of the bilateral ties between the arch-rivals.
Legendary Indian opener and the 1983 World Cup-winner Sunil Gavaskar has refuted Shoaib’s proposal by saying that there are more chances of snowfall in Lahore than a bilateral series between India and Pakistan.
Gavaskar, in a chat with former Pakistan captain Rameez Raja’s Youtube channel, asserted that while the two nations will continue to play in ICC events and Asia Cups, the chances of them locking horns in a bilateral rubber remain highly unlikely.
“There are more chances of snowfall in Lahore than bilateral series between India and Pakistan. Both teams will keep on meeting in World Cups and ICC tournaments, but a series between them seem unlikely right” Sunil Gavaskar told Rameez Raja on the latters Youtube channel ‘Rameez Speaks’
India-Pakistan bilateral ODI series was last played in 2012-13
The bilateral relations between India and Pakistan are at an all-time low since last years Pulwama attack where as many as 49 CRPF Jawans were martyred. As far as cricket is concerned, both nations haven’t played a Test series since Pakistan’s tour of India in the winter of 2007. Post the 2008 Mumbai attack, the bilateral cricket relations were suspended, although Pakistan did tour India for white-ball fixtures in the 2012-13 season.
Since then, both countries have locked horns in ICC events and Asia Cups where the Men in Blue have dominated their counterparts. The last International meeting between the two sides’ took place in the 2019 World Cup where Virat Kohli’s men reigned supreme to extend their lead to 12-0, as far as the 50-over quadrennial event is concerned.
Recently, Kapil Dev, India’s 1983 World Cup-winning captain had come down hard on Shoaib Akhtar, stating that “India does not need the money” and it is not worth risking lives for a cricket match.
