In a heartwarming display of sportsmanship, Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah extended his heartfelt appreciation to Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi for a touching gesture during the rain-affected India-Pakistan Super 4 clash in the 2023 Asia Cup.
Bumrah ,29, was genuinely moved when Shaheen presented him with a special gift to celebrate the birth of his son. The exchange took place after rain disrupted the match on Sunday, leading to its postponement to the following day.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) shared a heartwarming video of this moment on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"Love and peace. Congratulations @Jaspritbumrah93 and family on the birth of your child. Prayers for the entire family. We battle on the field. Off the field, we are just your regular humans," Shaheen tweeted alongside the video of him presenting the gift to Bumrah.
In response, Bumrah expressed his gratitude, stating, "Beautiful gesture, my family and I are overwhelmed with the love! Best wishes always."
Jasprit Bumrah and his wife, Sanjana Ganesan, welcomed their baby boy on September 4.
"Our little family has grown, and our hearts are fuller than we could ever imagine! This morning we welcomed our little boy, Angad Jasprit Bumrah, into the world. We are over the moon and can't wait for everything this new chapter of our lives brings with it - Jasprit and Sanjana," Bumrah shared on his social media platform.
While rain may have disappointed cricket fans by delaying India vs. Pakistan match, it offered a glimpse of the camaraderie between players from both sides when Shaheen congratulated Bumrah on becoming a father.
It's worth noting that Bumrah had to temporarily leave the Indian team's camp in Sri Lanka before their final group-stage match against Nepal due to the birth of his child. After fulfilling his family responsibilities, he rejoined the team and was part of the lineup for the rescheduled match against their arch-rivals.
Despite being fierce rivals on the cricket field, Pakistani and Indian players maintain a positive and respectful relationship off the pitch. This was evident when Virat Kohli of India met with the entire Pakistani team before their group-stage encounter in Kandy, sharing some heartwarming moments. Notably, Pakistan's Haris Rauf engaged in a friendly chat with India's Mohammad Siraj, while Pakistani skipper Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq exchanged greetings with Indian captain Rohit Sharma.
In the interrupted match, India got off to a strong start, thanks to opening pair Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, with the team's score at 147 for the loss of 2 wickets when rain halted play at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
The match has started again on reserve day with India on course to set a target for Pakistan.
- Shaheen Afridi
