MUMBAI: In damage-control mode after having referred to India as "dushman mulk (enemy country)," Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) managing committee chairman Zaka Ashraf did an about-turn on Friday, piling on the praise even as the Pakistan team received a rousing reception in Hyderabad. Pakistan's cricketers are on their first visit to India in seven years.
The PCB boss said, "The fantastic reception of the Pakistan team in India for the World Cup proves how much love the people of both countries have for each other's players. This love was evident by the reception arranged at the Hyderabad airport." Ashraf personally congratulated the Indians for arranging such a reception. He mentioned that whenever India and Pakistan step on to the field, "they emerge as traditional rivals but not enemies".
Earlier, in a video which went viral on social media, Zaka was seen talking about Pakistan's players going to a "dushman mulk (enemy country) for tournaments" while addressing the media after announcing PCB's new central contracts for players.
Zaka's remark immediately sparked controversy. Ashraf had said, "We have showed our love towards our players with the new contracts. No one has allocated as much budget towards player contracts as I've done. Mera maksad ye hi hai ki hamaare players ka morale up rehna chahiye, jab ye dushman mulk me khelne jaaye, ya kahi bhi jaaye jaha competition ho raha hai. (I only want my players to be in high morale when they travel to the enemy country, or anywhere in the world, to take part in the competition)."
The PCB boss is supposed to visit India some time during the tournament, likely for the India-Pakistan match on October 14 in Ahmedabad.
However, Zaka subsequently sang a different tune. "Cricket is a sport that has always played a bridging role between the two nations, and cricketers from both countries have remained popular and well-loved by fans in both India and Pakistan," he said.
Regardless of political tensions, players of both teams share a lot of warmth and mutual respect. Recently, there was a touching video of Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi giving a gift to pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who had just become a father.
