Harbhajan Singh reveals his friendships in Pakistan cricket team

Pakistan is set to face off against their arch-rivals India in yet another blockbuster fixture on August 28 as part of Asia Cup's group fixture.

The Men in Green demolished India in their last outing, which has put pressure on India to step in the ground with a renewed spirit. However, the spirit is already dampened due to unavailability of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami for the game due to respective injuries.

The fans, who are all eagerly awaiting the contest between two giants, often tend to get carried away in rivalry which then manifests into hatred. In order to combat that mindset, former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh spoke about the positive memories from his playing days.

Harbhajan Singh revealed that he was friends with Saqlain Mushtaq and they both used discuss cricket and talk about the art of off-spin bowling.

“I was friends with Saqlain Mushtaq. I used to discuss cricket with him. After him, I met their whole team. I remember the 1999 Test against Pakistan in Delhi where Anil bhai took 10 wickets. I was also playing in that game. That was the only time when I felt relieved I didn't get a wicket. Because taking 10 wickets is a big deal. After he took 6-7 wickets, I was like, 'I hope I don't get a wicket. He should get all the wickets now',” Harbhajan recalled.

Harbhajan further revealed that he was good friends with former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi as well and he used to bring him special gifts from Pakistan.

“I had friends in the Pakistan team as well. They used to bring me Punjabi dramas and Peshwari jutti. Lala (Afridi) used to bring me those things,” said the former India off-spinner.

Harbhajan Singh's statements showcase that there is much more to the India-Pakistan contest than just rivalry and hatred. Hopefully the fans also learn this and treat each other with the respect a human deserves.