GUANGZHOU: Pakistan reopened old wounds with India on Friday by insisting their bitter rivals were wrong to snub the Asian Games by refusing to send a cricket team.
Pakistan coach Sadiq Mohammad insisted that more pressure should have been put on India to respect the Guangzhou tournament, the first time the sport has featured at the Asiad. “India said they would come and they said cricket should be in the Asian Games.
God knows why they are not here. Somebody should have put added pressure on them,” said Sadiq.
India snubbed the Asian Games because of international commitments faced by their team with a home series against New Zealand and an eagerly-awaited tour of South Africa about to get underway.
Sadiq said that despite Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh also having Test and one-day international programmes to respect, all three still sent second-string teams to both the men’s and women’s events in Guangzhou. “India said they had to play New Zealand, but our main team had matches to play against South Africa,” added Sadiq.
“India should have taken part in the Asian Games because this would have been a great opportunity for the young players to gain experience.”
Pakistan wrapped up their Asian Games with a bronze medal after skipper Khalid Latif smashed an unbeaten 53 off 42 balls in a six-wicket win over Sri Lanka.
Latif, whose five one-day internationals made him the only capped player in his young team, hit four sixes and two fours to lift Pakistan past Sri Lanka’s 135 all out with two overs to spare. Three of those sixes came in one over from leg-spinner Malinga Bandara, boosting the total after Pakistan had lost four wickets for 85 runs.
