'No better feeling than defeating enemy on its home ground': Atta Tarar on Pak-India World Cup clash

ISLAMABAD: Ata Tarar, the special assistant to prime minister on interior and legal affairs, Saturday backed Pakistan's participation in the World Cup 2023 slated to be held in India in October this year.

He expressed that there is an unparalleled sense of pride in defeating India on their home ground.

Tarar — who is a member of the committee appointed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to advise on Pakistan's India tour during the major cricket event — firmly believes the team should take part in this prestigious tournament.

"There is no better feeling than to defeat your enemy on its own home ground. Pakistan is a better cricket team than India and should play in India," the politician said in an exclusive interview with Geo News.

Commenting on the Pakistan captain Babar Azam's cricketing prowess, Tarar — who represents the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) — deemed him ahead of Virat Kohli in terms of batting talent, while he also heaped praises on pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi.

"Babar Azam is a better player than Virat Kohli when it comes to general comparison. India does not have a single fast bowler like Shaheen Afridi. I really want to see Babar Azam score a century and Shaheen Afridi take the wicket of Virat Kohli on Indian soil," he said.

Tarar endorsed the idea of keeping politics away from cricket.

"It is up to India whether they travel to Pakistan or not, but politics should not be mixed with sports. The gentleman's game should not look like a battlefield," he said, adding that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should develop pressure against the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) at the International Cricket Council's forum.

On a lighter note, while referring to Imran Khan — Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and former World Cup-winning captain — Tarar said: "We have witnessed in the past how mixing politics and cricket has damaged our country a lot."

Meanwhile, the SAPM also commented on the pending decision of the committee, adding that every member has a right to give an opinion and must be given respect.

"PCB comes under Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC) Minister Ehsan Mazari and he thinks Pakistan should not travel to India. He is my friend and I respect his opinion wholeheartedly. So far, PM Shehbaz has not given his personal opinion on the decision but he has a vision to promote the sports culture in the country," he said.

Tarar seemed very hopeful about Pakistan's performance and wished to see the Green Shirts win the trophy of the biggest cricket event scheduled in October this year.

"This is one of my dreams to see Pakistan lift the World Cup trophy on Indian soil. Winning a World Cup is special but the importance of Pakistan winning the ICC trophy in India will be something unprecedented," he said.

The politician does not believe cricket diplomacy can currently play any role in bringing Pakistan and India closer due to the Kashmir conflict.

"India has violated human rights in the territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Until the dispute of Kashmir is not solved, I cannot see Pakistan and India making any dialogue courtesy of cricket diplomacy. The only thing in the hands of Pakistan is to defeat India on their own home ground," the SAPM said.

He shared that the recommendations by the committee are yet to be forwarded to the prime minister with regard to Pakistan's participation in the World Cup scheduled in India.