IND vs SA: Farokh Engineer Will Even Go To Mars If India And Pakistan Play There
India registered a dramatic four-wicket victory over Pakistan in their opening match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 in front of 90,000 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday, October 23.
Virat Kohli played unbeaten innings of 82 runs off 53 balls with 6 fours and 4 sixes. Ashwin smashed the ball over mid-off when India needed two runs off the last delivery off Mohammad Nawaz to chase down the 160-run target.
Farokh Engineer played for India in the 1960s and 1970s, but could never play for his country against Pakistan due to political issues between the two countries. The legendary wicketkeeper-batsman relished every moment of his playing career. Engineer would love to see the two great rivals play on a regular basis, not just in ICC events.
I Would Love to See India-Pakistan Played Anywhere – Farokh Engineer
Farokh Engineer is ready to travel to Mars if India and Pakistan are playing cricket there. It’s been 10 years since the two Asian giants last played a bilateral series. For about a decade now India and Pakistan have been only playing in Asia Cups and ICC tournaments.
“I would love to see an India-Pakistan played anywhere. I will even go to Mars if India and Pakistan play there. To have an India-Pakistan series in England or in the UAE would be absolutely fantastic.
“You know there have been some great games in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and especially Sharjah which created such excitement those days,” he said when asked of England’s recent proposal to host a bilateral series between the two teams amid rising tension between the nuclear-armed South Asian rivals.
The former India wicketkeeper-batter also narrated an incident when he and Pakistan legend Zaheer batted together in a match for World XI when war had broken out between the two countries.
“Yes, I was saddened by that part, but it could not be helped. None of my generation, you know, (MAK) Pataudi, (Ajit) Wadekar, none of these guys had the opportunity to play Pakistan. That was the time the government restricted sports, you know, the two countries were at war.
“So I hope they resume playing each other, wherever it maybe, Dubai or England. But unfortunately, I am not the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). It’s up to the powers that be, it’s up to the government. They take the decisions.”
India will take on South Africa in their next match of the Super 12 stage of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 at the Optus Stadium on Sunday, October 30. The Rohit Sharma-led team has clinched two wins in two matches.
