The tales of camaraderie between Indian and Pakistani sports persons off the field are heartwarming, despite the ongoing political tensions between the two countries. These stories transcend boundaries and showcase the deep bonds formed through the love for the sport.
One such story involves Waseem Ahmed, the former Pakistani captain, and Baljeet Singh Saini, India’s former attacking midfielder.
The story is a testament to bridging gaps and fostering connections that go beyond borders. Interestingly, it also involves Peshawar crockery and Banarasi sarees, adding a touch of cultural richness to the relationship.
Ahmed, who holds the record for the most international caps (410) for Pakistan, now resides in Melbourne, Australia.
Since 2015, he has been associated with the Southern United Hockey Club, where he brings his expertise as a player-cum-assistant coach, imparting the quintessential Pakistani flair to the team.
Meanwhile, Saini, who has also had a stint as the coach of India’s junior women’s team, divides his time between India and the United States, where he has settled with his family.
“Our fiercest rivals on the pitch are Pakistanis and our best friends off the pitch in international hockey are Pakistanis as well,” Saini had told Timesofindia.com during a conversation.
Ahmed’s response from Melbourne set up the nostalgia.
“Badi dosti hai (we share a strong friendship),” said Ahmed over the phone when Timesofindia.com rang him in Australia for an interview a few years back.
In 1998, during India’s tour of Pakistan, a memorable series unfolded, when Ahmed, who had made his debut just two years prior, was establishing himself as a key player in the midfield
The series consisted of eight matches, evenly split in a home-and-away format between the two countries.
“Dilip Tirkey (Man of the Series) and Baljeet Saini were youngsters like me,” Ahmed recalled. “We had Shahbaz senior and junior with us, and Tahir Zaman. We won the first two matches in Peshawar and Rawalpindi. In Lahore, they defeated us, and then in Karachi as well. Public started throwing stones at us,” Ahmed recalled.
In Peshawar, Saini wanted to take home a memento. That’s when he stepped into the Pakistani camp.
“Saini came and said I want to buy a dinner set. It (crockery) is quite famous there (Peshawar). It was about a 70-80 piece dinner set,” Ahmed told TimesofIndia.com.
“He (Ahmed) must not have told you that he gifted me that,” Saini revealed to add more warmth to the story. “Our friendship grew and we have stayed in touch ever since.”
A few years later, when Ahmed’s sister was getting married, the Pakistani midfielder contacted Saini as he was looking for some Banarasi sarees — a traditional Indian attire that is famous in Pakistan as well.
“We had a team-mate at that time, Anurag Raghuvanshi, who was from Banaras. I reached out to him to get the sarees and then sent those to Waseem,” said Saini. “After that, he even visited me in Jalandhar.”
One such story involves Waseem Ahmed, the former Pakistani captain, and Baljeet Singh Saini, India’s former attacking midfielder.
The story is a testament to bridging gaps and fostering connections that go beyond borders. Interestingly, it also involves Peshawar crockery and Banarasi sarees, adding a touch of cultural richness to the relationship.
Ahmed, who holds the record for the most international caps (410) for Pakistan, now resides in Melbourne, Australia.
Since 2015, he has been associated with the Southern United Hockey Club, where he brings his expertise as a player-cum-assistant coach, imparting the quintessential Pakistani flair to the team.
Meanwhile, Saini, who has also had a stint as the coach of India’s junior women’s team, divides his time between India and the United States, where he has settled with his family.
“Our fiercest rivals on the pitch are Pakistanis and our best friends off the pitch in international hockey are Pakistanis as well,” Saini had told Timesofindia.com during a conversation.
Ahmed’s response from Melbourne set up the nostalgia.
“Badi dosti hai (we share a strong friendship),” said Ahmed over the phone when Timesofindia.com rang him in Australia for an interview a few years back.
In 1998, during India’s tour of Pakistan, a memorable series unfolded, when Ahmed, who had made his debut just two years prior, was establishing himself as a key player in the midfield
The series consisted of eight matches, evenly split in a home-and-away format between the two countries.
“Dilip Tirkey (Man of the Series) and Baljeet Saini were youngsters like me,” Ahmed recalled. “We had Shahbaz senior and junior with us, and Tahir Zaman. We won the first two matches in Peshawar and Rawalpindi. In Lahore, they defeated us, and then in Karachi as well. Public started throwing stones at us,” Ahmed recalled.
In Peshawar, Saini wanted to take home a memento. That’s when he stepped into the Pakistani camp.
“Saini came and said I want to buy a dinner set. It (crockery) is quite famous there (Peshawar). It was about a 70-80 piece dinner set,” Ahmed told TimesofIndia.com.
“He (Ahmed) must not have told you that he gifted me that,” Saini revealed to add more warmth to the story. “Our friendship grew and we have stayed in touch ever since.”
A few years later, when Ahmed’s sister was getting married, the Pakistani midfielder contacted Saini as he was looking for some Banarasi sarees — a traditional Indian attire that is famous in Pakistan as well.
“We had a team-mate at that time, Anurag Raghuvanshi, who was from Banaras. I reached out to him to get the sarees and then sent those to Waseem,” said Saini. “After that, he even visited me in Jalandhar.”