Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi is wants his country's national team to go to India and win the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 despite calls for boycotting the showpiece tournament.
Calls have been growing louder in Pakistan to not travel to India for the World Cup due to the strained relations between the two countries. India's refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023 also added fuel to the fire.
India and Pakistan will face each other in the World Cup group stage at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 15.
The Pakistan Cricket Board wanted the ICC to change the venue for this match but their request was turned down by cricket's governing body and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
'Go there and win'
But Afridi wants Pakistan to go to India and win the the Cup instead of boycotting the tournament.
"Some people say we should not go to India or boycott, but I am totally against that. I want us to go there and win in India.
"There is always pressure but then the fun is to play under that pressure," Afridi said.
When Pak team bus was stoned in Bengaluru
The all-rounder also opened up on his experience of playing in India and revealed how the Pakistani team bus was stoned by fans after they won a Test match in Bengaluru in 2005.
"When we used to hit 4s and 6s (in India) no one would applaud for us in the stadium.
"When we won the Bangalore Test match stones were thrown at our bus," Afridi said.
