Self-respect and pride more important than Indo-Pak cricket: Javed Miandad

Karachi: Former Pakistan captain and coach Javed Miandad has urged the Pakistan Cricket Board to stop running after the BCCI to resume bilateral ties. Miandad said the inflammatory statements given by Indian leaders and ministers were most unfortunate and would not help Indo-Pak cricket relations. [caption id=“attachment_2424048” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File photo of Javed Miandad. Getty
[/caption] “I don’t think these inflammatory statements are a true reflection of the feelings of the Indian masses towards Pakistan and they are not helping us move forward in improving ties,” Miandad said at a function here last night. Miandad said that given the attitude of the Indian cricket board it was advisable for the PCB to stop running after them and focus on organising series against other teams. “Pakistan has always been superior to India in cricket and we have more raw cricketing talent compared to them. Their cricket is surviving on money and commercialism,” the former great claimed. “It is good if both countries can resume bilateral ties but not at the cost of our self-respect and pride,” he added. Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar had also said recently that the present relations and situation on the borders was conducive for cricketing ties and Pakistan should forget about playing India in December until the conditions changed. Some other former Pakistan captains have also advised the PCB to stop trying to convince the BCCI to restore bilateral ties as the existing relations between the two countries were not ideal for cricket and there were more confidence building measures required between the neighbours. PTI