Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and Indian pacer Ishant Sharma, who were fined after a verbal duel in the first T20 international at Bangalore, have buried the hatchet and are now the best of friends, according to a leading Pakistani newspaper.
A report said that after the match, Sharma had gone to the Pakistan dressing room and sorted things out with Kamran. “Sharma went to the Pakistan dressing room after the match and addressing Kamran asked him Paji Tauno Ki Hogaya See (Brother what happened to you),” the report said. It said that Sharma had than clarified to Kamran that he had not used any abusive language against him during the standoff in Bangalore. “After that some senior players came in and sorted things out for both players who have now buried the incident,” the report said.
The report also said that afterwards when the teams travelled on a chartered flight from Bangalore to Ahmedabad, Kamran and Sharma were seen laughing and in good spirits. Outside the field, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli [ Images ] and some of the other Indian players get along well with some of the Pakistani players and some players also had dinner together, the report said.
Ishant and Kamran got into the argument when the latter was declared not out after he was caught off a no ball by the former, and was beaten on the next ball. Soon both the players exchanged a few angry words and wagged fingers at each other. Finally, the ground umpires and Indian players intervened and separated both of them. Pakistan manager, Naved Akram Cheema said that despite the incident, the relation between the two teams is good and cordial.
“All the intensity is on the field as obviously they also want to win as do we. But otherwise relations are fine between the two sides and we have been very well looked after so far in India,” Cheema said in a TV interview. He also said that the security for the Pakistani players had been very good and they had been very well received and shown hospitality in Bangalore. “The players are thoroughly enjoying their tour of India and the win in the first match has further lifted their spirits,” he said.
