Indo-Pak rivalry much bigger than the Ashes, concedes Wasim Akram

Former Pakistan cricketer Wasim Akram reckons not one rivalry can match up to the fierceness of an India-Pakistan on-field battle, not even the most revered Ashes. Akram went on to say that maybe millions of people watch the Ashes, but that count exceeds a billion when it comes to an Indo-Pak match, irrespective of the format in which it is being contested.

He said he was thankful to have been a part of three Indo-Pak bilateral series’. He believes that series of such high calibre is a huge test of temperament and this is the stage where big players are born. Bad bilateral relationships between the countries led to the Indian government completely abandoning cricketing ties with the neighbours. Akram said he’d love to see this rivalry resume.

“Indo-Pak cricket is something different, unbelievable. You get a couple of players through these series who can go on to play for 10-15 years. The amount of pressure is high, people are excited about it a month before the commencement and I consider myself lucky to have been a part of such bilateral event on multiple occasions, two times in India and once in Pakistan,” said Akram speaking to India Today.

Playing against India was the highlight of my career

The legendary fast bowler said that playing against India was the highlight of his career. Not many rivalries can match up to the beauty of this one and he also compared how the viewership differs between the Ashes and an Indo-Pak game. Back in the 2015 World Cup, India and Pakistan locked horns in Adelaide, a game which still ranks as one of the most viewed games in cricket history.

“I remember those moments very well, it seems like yesterday. It was the highlight of my career playing against them. The beauty of this rivalry is something which cannot be compared to any other rivalry. How many people watch Ashes, maybe 10 or 20 Million? Over a Billion people watched that India-Pakistan game in the 2015 World Cup at Adelaide,” said the 51-year-old.