Modi Sahab inshallah will come to Lahore, Pakistan safe place to play cricket: Shoaib Akhtar

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has declared Pakistan a safe place to play cricket and predicted that India Prime Minister Narendra Modi would visit the country very soon in the future.

The 47-year-old pointed out that Pakistan have started to host international matches again apart from successfully executing the Pakistan Super League (PSL) over the years.

"Relationship of both the governments aren’t the same anymore, country-to-country relationship is not good but people-to-people relationship is good. Also how can anyone say it is not safe to play in Pakistan. We did eight PSLs (Pakistan Super League). England, New Zealand, West Indies came, now what more one wants? I’m an optimistic guy.

I hope the both governments will be on the same page in future and after two or three years, Modi sahab (Indian prime minister Narendra Modi) inshallah will come to Lahore," Akhtar said on the sidelines of Legends League Cricket which concluded on Monday in Doha.

Notably, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have recently made it clear that India would not be travelling to Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023. The board said it won't get clearance from the central government due to the political tensions between the two neighbours.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have threatened that in case the Indian team does not come to Pakistan, the board will boycott the upcoming 2023 World Cup in India. Notably, the two teams last played bilateral cricket in 2012. They now only meet in ICC tournaments.

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has also batted for the resumption of Indo-Pak cricket. Afridi, who led Asia Lions to title win in Legends League Cricket (LLC) Masters 2023, said he would make a request to India PM Modi to allow cricketing relations to flourish between the two countries.

"I will request Modi sahab to let cricket happen between both countries," Afridi said while on the sidelines of LLC.