Shahid Afridi reveals Pakistan team bus had been pelted with stones in Bengaluru

Shahid Afridi on Saturday voiced support in favour of sending the Pakistan team to India for the ICC ODI World Cup later this year.

The former Pakistan captain and all-rounder said tours of India were always high on pressure, and it was that pressure that made matches in the neighbouring country a lot more fun.

Afridi also revealed an incident where the stones were thrown at the Pakistan team bus following their victory over India in the 2005 Test in Bengaluru while adding that the pressure was added by the fact that they had little to no support at Indian venues.

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“It was a high pressure moment in our careers. When we hit boundaries, there was no one to cheer. When we won the Bangalore Test and were departing for hotel, stones were pelted on the team bus.

“Pressure is always there and you should enjoy that pressure. players are saying that Pakistan should not go to India. I am totally against it, I think we should go there and win the match,” Afridi during an interaction with reporters.

The Pakistan team under Inzamam-ul-Haq’s leadership managed to defeat Sourav Ganguly’s India by 168 runs, levelling the three-match series 1-1 as a result.

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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), meanwhile, have insisted the decision to send the team to India for the World Cup that takes place in India in the months of October and November lies with the Shehbaz Sharif-led government.

Pakistan sports minister Ehsan Mazari had recently stated that the Babar-led team would not be travelling to India for the World Cup if India stuck to their demand of playing the Asia Cup on a neutral venue.

Read | Ex-PCB chief questions Pakistan government on World Cup participation

The PCB had earlier threatened to boycott the ODI World Cup if the BCCI refused to send the Indian team to Pakistan for the Asia Cup that takes place right before the World Cup.

PCB has since offered a hybrid model for the continental event that has been accepted by the Asian Cricket Council, wherein four matches would take place in Pakistan and the remaining fixtures, including India’s matches would take place in Sri Lanka.