Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Moin Khan has voiced his disappointment over the overly cordial interactions between Pakistani and Indian cricketers on the field.
During a recent appearance on show, the former cricketer expressed his concerns about the behavior of Pakistani players during matches against India.
Ushna questioned, “Why are Pakistani cricketers now seen taking pictures with players like Virat Kohli, unlike in the past when cricket and entertainment thrived on cross-border rivalry?”
Moin responded, “It hurts me to see our players laughing and joking with Indian cricketers. We used to respect them mutually, but we maintained a professional attitude on the field. There was a time when our team was far ahead of India, but now they have surpassed us. The advantage we created back then is still benefiting them.”
Moin Khan added that while good relations with Indian players existed in the past, professionalism always came first. “Even if I had a favourite Indian player, I never behaved casually on the field, like checking their bat or being overly friendly. Our players don’t realise the negative message they send with such actions.”
He further explained that such behaviour could give the opposing team an edge psychologically. “When you act like this, the rival team uses it to dominate you because mentally, you start to lag,” he said.
Moin also shared how he emphasised professionalism whenever he held a position of authority. “Whenever I was in a leadership role, I always told players not to adopt such behaviour. Even Wasim Akram used to be upset about this attitude. Our players have forgotten how to show aggression on the field.”
“You would never see players like Wasim, Waqar, or Shoaib joking around, checking bats, or taking selfies with Indian cricketers during matches,” he concluded.
Moin Khan’s comments come after a number of recent instances of Pakistani cricketers being seen in friendly moments with Indian players.
For example, Shaheen Afridi gifted Jasprit Bumrah a special present to congratulate him on the birth of his daughter. In addition, many national cricketers like Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, and Shaheen have shared lighter moments with Kohli during a number of matches.
