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28 March 2024

Pakistan cricket great Miandad cancels India visit

Javed Miandad at the centre of a visa controversy. (FILE)

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By Staff

Former Pakistan cricketer Javed Miandad has cancelled his plans to visit India to witness the third and final one-day international between the two rivals to be played in New Delhi on Sunday, India media has reported.

This follows controversy over him being granted a visa after a number of politicians questioned the decision as Miandad's family has ties with India's most wanted criminal.

The former captain who is Pakistan Cricket Board's director-general cricket was also granted visa to visit India in March, 2011 to witness the World Cup semifinal match between the arch-rivals at Mohali but he cancelled it due to some personal commitments.

Meanwhile, a host of former India and Pakistan players, including the legendary Sunil Gavaskar and Intikhab Alam, were Thursday feted by the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) during the ODI between the two teams at the Eden Gardens to celebrate the silver jubilee of the ground staging its first ever ODI.

The former players, who included Kapil Dev, Bishen Singh Bedi, Dilip Vengsarkar, Ravi Shastri, Sourav Ganguly and V.V.S. Laxman from India and Wasim Akram, Rameez Raja and Mushtaq Mohammad from Pakistan, were given a lap of honour around the ground on open jeeps decorated with flowers as the capacity crowd gave a standing ovation.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the guest of honour, handed a commemorative tie, a plaque, a shawl and a cheque of Rs.One lakh to each of the former cricketers with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Zaka Ashraf and CAB president Jagmohan Dalmiya among those present.

India and Pakistan had clashed when the hallowed venue staged its maiden ODI on February 18, 1987.

Pakistan had won the thriller by two wickets, thanks to a 36-ball 72 by Salim Malik.

Pakistan claimed victory in the ongoing three-match ODI series with an emphatic 85-run win at Eden Gardens having won the first ODI in Chennai by six wickets.

The two-match T20 was shared with Pakistan winning the first tie and India the second match.