Send Team India To Pakistan, We Will Welcome With Open Arms: Shahid Afridi

New Delhi: Asia Cup is all set to begin in the month of September 2023. Although the Pakistan Cricket Board is determined to host the tournament in its own country, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is not willing to send the Indian team to Pakistan, It is rumoured that the BCCI and the PCB are slated to meet in Dubai to reach to a conclusion over venue debate but there is no official statement regarding the confirmation of the venue.

Amid the talk, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi feels that Pakistan are ready to welcome the Indian team for the tournament and urged the BCCI to keep aside political tensions and send their side.

"Who is saying no to Asia Cup? India is saying no," the former Pakistan captain said in a chat with media on the sidelines of Legends League Cricket.

"Aap Indian team ko bheje toh sahi, humlog sar aankhon par rakhenge (You just send the Indian team to Pakistan and we will welcome them with great pleasure). Before this, an Indian from Mumbai, won't take his name, had threatened Pakistan that they won't be allowed in India. But we kept all aside and our government had taken it up as a responsibility and the Pakistan team did go to India. So threats should not ruin our relationship. Threats will remain," he said.

Afridi further talked about Indo-Pakistan cricketing relationships.

"It would have been really nice if India had come. It would have been a step towards cricket and Pakistan for India. This is not a generation of wars and fights, we want relationships to get better. We have played against India with a lot of love and affection. I remember when we came to India, we got an outstanding response. If you remember the 2005 series, Harbhajan and Yuvraj used to go shopping and to restaurants, and no one used to charge them money. This is the beauty of the two nations," he said.