Pakistan-India matches help spread love and kindness, says Pakistan coach

Whenever Pakistan and India meet in the world of cricket, everyone stops in their tracks to see what drama unfolds. While there is always a sense of doom and gloom, Pakistan's head coach Saqlain Mushtaq believes that the tie between the arch-rivals are also about spreading love and kindness.

Members of both teams met up with each other in Dubai as teams prepare to face-off in the Asia Cup 2022. Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi was met up by Indian stars such as Virat Kohli, who inquired about his absence from the tournament.

"Few years ago I went to play the Cricket All-Stars and world cricket’s 25 big names were present there," Saqlain said during a media talk on Thursday.

"However, only Pakistani and Indian fans were there [to watch the matches]. The fans had stitched both [the countries’] flags. It showed that cricket is not just sports or entertainment; it is something that unites humanity."

Saqlain further claimed that when these teams meet up on the international stage, the message should also be to promote kindness.

"We do have emotions for our country when we play a match but the pictures that came out yesterday portrayed a positive image,” said Saqlain. “We try our best to give the message of kindness and love and that is why our players go to meet the Indian players and vice-versa," he added.

"That cricket picture is the picture of love. The cricket ground in Dubai has worked a lot to reduce the tension of cricket matches between India and Pakistan, which is a good thing for the spirit of the game," Mushtaq further added.