‘I will go to Mars if India and Pakistan are playing there’- Farokh Engineer bats for bilateral series between arch-rivals

People go to great lengths to follow their cricket team around. An India- Pakistan cricket match is one such game that pulls a great number of fans, irrespective of the venue. Recently the India- Pakistan match was held in Australia and it brought in a record-breaking 90, 293 spectators to the Melbourne Cricket Ground on October 23^rd.

Former India cricketer Farokh Engineer has gone so far as to say that he would watch an India- Pakistan cricket match even if it’s held on Mars. Speaking with Khaleej Times the former cricketer said, “I would love to see India-Pakistan play anywhere. I will even go to Mars if India and Pakistan play there.”

Engineer has given his vote of approval for the India- Pakistan series in England or the UAE. “To have an India-Pakistan series in England or in the UAE would be absolutely fantastic. You know there have been some great games in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and especially Sharjah which created such excitement those days. So I hope they resume playing with each other, wherever it may be, Dubai or England. But unfortunately, I am not the Indian Cricket Board. It’s up to the powers that be, it’s up to the government. They take the decisions, “he said.

The friendliness of the players pleased me the most- Farokh Engineer

Engineer was ecstatic at the warm relationship between India and Pakistan players. Speaking of the same, he said, “Virat Kohli played a phenomenal innings. India did have a bit of luck and in that last over, we saw everything. It was a fitting finish to an India-Pakistan match. But what pleased me most was the friendliness of the players on the pitch. It was played in a great atmosphere, with great camaraderie.”

Engineer also recalled the time when he played with Pakistan batter Zaheer when the war broke out between the two countries in 1971.

“Yes, I was saddened by that part, but it could not be helped. None of my generation, you know, (MAK) Pataudi, (Ajit) Wadekar, none of these guys had the opportunity to play Pakistan. That was the time the government restricted sports, you know, the two countries were at war.

“When I played for the World XI against Australia (in 1971), Zaheer Abbas was my roommate. On the day the war broke out, I was playing with Zaheer,” he recalled.

“The Sydney Morning Herald had a big picture on the front page under the headline — ‘India, Pakistan at war? But look at these guys playing cricket for the World XI and they are so friendly’.

“You know that made a mockery of the war. I kept that picture for a long time with me,” said a proud Farokh Engineer.