Veteran Pakistani cricketer Wasim Akram has suggested that the Indian cricket team could visit Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy, mentioning positive signals from India.

During an online press conference in Melbourne, Akram, a former captain and renowned fast bowler, expressed that the Pakistan Cricket Board has made multiple proposals to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to facilitate the visit.

“India should come to Pakistan,” Akram stated, noting that Indian players like Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, and Suryakumar Yadav have many fans in Pakistan who are eager to see them play. He emphasized the importance of communication between the people of both countries and lamented that he hasn’t visited India in six to seven years, missing the food and the people.

Akram also commented on Pakistan’s upcoming series against Australia, acknowledging the tough conditions there and stating that winning even one ODI would be a significant achievement. He expressed optimism about the T20 series.

Regarding the recent controversy involving Fakhar Zaman, Akram mentioned that Zaman is an impactful player but that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has valid concerns about his social media post criticizing selectors for dropping Babar Azam. He indicated that the statement likely wasn’t written by Zaman himself and served as a lesson about the consequences of social media use.

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On Muhammad Rizwan’s upcoming role as white-ball captain during the tours of Australia and Zimbabwe, Akram praised Rizwan’s experience but urged him to concentrate on his game. He also advised bowlers Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah to avoid distractions from social media, and encouraged Babar Azam to focus on his playing rather than the pressures of captaincy.