Key Points

The high-voltage Asia Cup match on Sunday comes just four months after a military conflict between the two neighbours — their most serious standoff since the 1999 Kargil war. The conflict followed a terrorist attack on the Indian tourist site of Pahalgam in April, which killed 26 people.

Amidst calls for a boycott of the match, the Indian government cleared it under its new policy, which allows participation against Pakistan in multinational tournaments but not bilateral series.

"Fans must show a big heart," Akmal, who played in several iconic India-Pakistan contests, including the 2011 World Cup semifinal in Mohali, was quoted as saying by Telecom Asia Sport (www.telecomasia.net) that the atmosphere is tense and requires careful handling.

“These are tough times in India-Pakistan relations,” Kamran told www.telecomasia.net. “It will be tense, and that is why there is fear. But I think it will get better only if the game goes well.”

Recalling the United Arab Emirates as a neutral venue where fans from both sides often mingled, Akmal appealed for restraint: “Fans should show a big heart and come together to enjoy the full match. It should be an atmosphere like in the past. I request fans not to cross the line, whether they are from Pakistan or India. They must make the match successful so that Indo-Pak matches continue,” said Akmal.

Asked about on-field aggression and respect, Akmal acknowledged that aggression has always been part of Indo-Pak matches but warned that players must not cross the line. “Aggression is the beauty of an India-Pakistan match. How to take that aggression is the key. Respect should be there. Players will have to remember cricket is a gentleman’s game. If they keep that in mind, I am sure Sunday’s match will go untroubled.”

In the report, he cited a recent example of a verbal clash between players. “There was an ‘A’ team match in Oman last year where Sufiyan Muqeem and Abhishek Sharma had a verbal clash. Aggression will always be there, but it should be controlled.”

Clearing the air with Gambhir, Akmal also reflected on his famous on-field confrontation with India’s current head coach Gautam Gambhir during the 2010 Asia Cup in Sri Lanka. “It was a misunderstanding. Gautam is a very good person. We had toured Kenya together for an ‘A’ team event and became good friends. In that Asia Cup match, I appealed when he missed a shot. He was talking to himself about the miss, but I thought he said something to me. That’s how the misunderstanding happened.”

Despite the political tension, Akmal believes cricket can help bridge divides and hopes for a full house on Sunday.

“Both teams will be tense, but like in the past, it will ease out once the game begins. If they play good cricket, differences will get less. I am sure a full house will enjoy the game.”

- IANS