Former Indian Premier League (IPL) Chairman, Rajeev Shukla, ridiculed the proposal of hosting a bilateral series between India and Pakistan put forth by Pakistan national team’s ‘Rawalpindi Express’, Shoaib Akhtar on Wednesday.
“Shoaib Akhtar is a jolly and moody man everyone knows it. Time by time he keeps giving such suggestions and ideas. At this stage, if he is talking about a cricket match between India and Pakistan to raise funds to help both the countries. So, I feel it is a matter of fun. We are not even able to organise IPL, who will come to watch that match who will allow players to come and play.” Rajeev Shukla said speaking to ANI.
The former cricketer proposed a 3-match ODI or T20 series to be played between the teams as fund-raisers for helping both the nations in arranging relief funds for COVID-19 pandemic. The further said the matches can be played in the absence of crowds allowing only broadcasting personnel to be present on the venues to televise the matches. Akhtar hopes that the quarantine phase would act as an important factor in providing a large-scale viewership to the matches which can help generate huge funds. He believes his ‘out-of-box’ idea can raise up 200-300 million dollars which can be split between the two countries in times of these desperate needs.
“I want a series to be conducted between India and Pakistan, without a crowd. Only a few people from broadcasting agencies to be present so they televise the matches. A series of three ODIs or three T20 matches can be played. I do not see any harm in doing so”, Shoaib Akhtar said in a video on his YouTube channel which he uploaded on Wednesday.
Shukla further went on to call his idea ‘comic’. “India-Pakistan don’t play in bilateral series, who will organise this match at this current situation of the country is not good and in his country situation is even worst so how can match happen so I feel this statement is comic”, he added.
India and Pakistan hasn’t played a bilateral series since 2007.
