‘It’s just a silly game’: Wasim Akram recalls helping Irfan Pathan before his anti-Pakistan posts | Cricket news

Waseem Akram (Photo by Reuters)

Pakistan is great Waseem Akram He urged fans on both sides of the India-Pakistan divide to stop harboring sentiments about past conflicts Cricket gameinsisting that one of the fiercest rivalries in sports must ultimately be treated as nothing more than a game.Akram, while speaking on 1 Mint, also spoke about his long-standing association with the former Indian pacer. Irfan PathanHe recalls how the young left-armer was a huge fan of his when the two first met in Australia. Akram said he gave Pathan some advice early in his career, but joked that his former fan now regularly posts anti-Pakistan comments on social media.“It is a different matter that he continues to tweet in one form or another against Pakistan. But our fans are ready too. They don’t have a tendency to ignore either. “They just have to respond,” Akram said.The comments came as Akram was discussing the extraordinary interest and passion surrounding India-Pakistan matches, which have increasingly become as much a battleground on social media as they are contests on the cricket field.

“It’s just a silly game”

Akram, who played in some of the most memorable Indo-Pakistan competitions of his time, believes fans should not allow sporting results to become an extension of historical and political tensions.“People have so much time. Why don’t they understand? It’s just a silly game. At the end of the day, it’s just a game. Someone has to win, someone has to lose. Then we move on to the next match,” he said.“But no, what happened many moons ago still remains. Revenge and everything is 1970. It’s the classic ‘an empty mind is the devil’s workshop’ thought process,” he added.Akram’s message comes at a time when every encounter between India and Pakistan generates massive online discussion, with fans often taking the rivalry beyond the confines of the cricket field.But for the former Pakistan captain, the basic principle remains simple: one side wins, one side loses, and both move on.

When Akram helped young Irfan Pathan

Akram also recalls his first interaction with Pathan, who grew up watching the legendary Pakistani left-arm bowlers and was often compared to Akram after his emergence on the international scene.“Irrfan met me in 2004 on his first tour of Australia; I used to comment on him. He was a big fan of his. He was a fan of mine.” He grew up watching us. “I gave him some advice here and there, but he performed well at the beginning of his career,” Akram said.Pathan’s bowling bore similarities to Akram’s, and the Pakistani great explained that his advice was less about changing the young player’s style and more about helping him understand the tactical aspects of fast bowling.“His behavior was similar to mine from the beginning. But when players ask you something, what you tell them is mostly about mentality. Work and everything is fine, because at that point you have reached this level where you represent the country.“Things like wrist position and how to dismiss a batsman. When to use variations, when not to use them. So yeah, it was a lot of fun. Irrfan is a good lad, and he still meets me.”Pathan became one of India’s most effective fast bowlers in the 2000s. His ability to swing the new ball and generate movement made comparisons with Akram inevitable, while his versatility eventually turned him into an all-rounder.

Irfan Pathan (Annie’s photo)

Pathan and its rivalry with Pakistan

Pathan has also developed a formidable record against Pakistan, taking 67 wickets in 36 ODIs – 27 in Tests, 34 in ODIs and six in T20Is.One of his most memorable performances came in Karachi in 2006, when he became only the second Indian to score a Test hat-trick, beating Salman Butt and Younis Khan. And Mohamed Youssef in the first half.Since his retirement, Pathan has remained one of the most outspoken former Indian cricketers on social media and television. He has at times targeted Pakistan and cricketers, including in the wake of high-profile India-Pakistan clashes.However, Akram seemed to take the joke in his stride. While acknowledging Pathan’s occasional anti-Pakistan posts, he also pointed out that fans on both sides are equally unwilling to let such comments pass.But the former Pakistan captain wants the line between sporting competition and everything beyond it to remain clear.“Someone has to win, someone has to lose,” Akram said. “Then we move on to the next stage.”