Former Pakistan opener opens up on his bond with Yuvraj Singh ahead of Indo-Pak game

Former Pakistan opener Imran Farhat recently opened up on his bond with legendary Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh ahead of the Indo-Pak clashes in the Asia Cup and World Cup later this year. Farhat, a left-handed batter, said that he spent quality time with the Punjab-born all-rounder during his youth career.

The 41-year-old also picked the Men in Green as the favourite to win the ODI World Cup game against India later this year. He lauded the team's bowling lineup and wants the batting unit to step up in the high-voltage game.

On a YouTube channel (from 23:00 onwards), Imran Farhat said about his frienship with Yuvraj Singh and his father:

“I had a very good friendship with Yuvraj Singh, but I had an even better bond with his father. Yuvraj's dad had a petrol pump and a restaurant in Chandigarh.

"We used to sit there and talk about culture with him during our visits. He would take us to his restaurant, where he would sing songs for us.”

He continued:

“(WC 2023 IND vs PAK) I think Pakistan will win. They have a better ODI team than India. Bowling will be key. We have better spinners and fast bowlers on our side. You need batters with good basics, which we have. Indian players, on the other hand, hand, play a lot of T20 cricket.”

Farhat, who retired in 2021, represented Pakistan in 40 Tests, 58 ODIs and seven T20Is, scoring 4195 runs across formats, including four tons and 27 half-centuries The Lahore-born player ended his first-class career with over 15,000 runs. He played four Tests and 15 ODIs against India.

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Team India to play Pakistan in Asia Cup and World Cup

In a treat for Indo-Pak fans, Team India will play against Pakistan at he 2023 Asia Cup and the ODI World Cup later this year. The two teams only play each other in ICC events due to ongoing political tensions between them.

The arch-rivals last faced off in the 2022 T20 World Cup, where India won the last-ball thriller by four wickets, courtesy of Virat Kohli’s masterclass (82* off 53). Rohit Sharma and Co. face Babar Azam-led side in Pallekalle on September 2 to kickstart their Asia Cup.

The two teams could go on to play thrice in the tournament if they reach the Super 4 and the final.

The two teams are also scheduled to play in the World Cup at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 15. The venue is subject to change, though.