Frequent cricket with India will only help Pak players: Zaheer Abbas

Former captain Zaheer Abbas feels restoration of bilateral cricket ties with India would prove to be beneficial for Pakistan as presently India is in a stronger position in world cricket.

“I have always said that regular Indo-Pak cricket relations and ties also lead to improved relations at people to people and government levels,” Abbas said in an interview.

The former batting great, who has held key positions in Pakistan cricket, said he was happy to see Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif taking steps to encourage regular cricketing and sporting ties between the two nations.

“At the moment the Indian team is better than us and there is no doubt about it. If we play against India regularly it will benefit our players,” he observed.

Abbas said that the situation had changed over the years in international cricket and in Indo-Pak relations. “What is sad is that there have been instances in the past when India and Pakistan have not played each other for years after one or two series even though Indo-Pak contests generate so much interest and revenues for the Boards and players,” he said.

“I loved playing against India but unfortunately in my career I got to play just a few Test series against them. But we enjoyed good relations with some of the Indian players when we came across in England or in any other country in those days.”

The former skipper said that at the moment India is the hub of international cricket. “The money is there. India has a big market for cricket and it is good to hear that Pakistan Cricket Board officials have held meetings with Indian Board (BCCI) officials,” he said.

But Abbas advised the PCB to also reap benefits from any future matches with India. “We should ensure that any understanding or agreement with the BCCI is also beneficial to us and it should not be like last December when we went to play in India and didn’t get a single penny from it,” he said.