JOIN USPakistan’s team failed to advance to the final of the newly-introduced Twenty20 competition which also features Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Maldives.
“India’s participation would have lightened up the competition. There would have been more enthusiasm, more competition. We really missed India’s participation,” Pakistan coach Mohammad Azam Khan said.
“India-Pakistan rivalry on cricket field always brings out the best. If India were here, our boys would have played more positive cricket. But we are still clueless why did they not take part in the cricket competition?” the 40-year-old said. He also said it was difficult to pick an under-21 team.
“Our under-19 boys, having made the World Cup final in New Zealand, were not available and we were informed at the very last minute, so it was difficult to make the side. But we still have a few good players in Umar Amin, Nayyar Abbas. It’s sad that we lost out.”
Khan called for resumption of Indo-Pak cricketing ties and said politics should stay off.
“We cricketers have always been been very good friends off the field. It’s cricket which is suffering with the interference of politics. We must resume our cricketing ties,” Khan said.