These Pakistani cricketers and their Indian taxi driver are winning hearts
Everyone knows we’re not at the best of terms with our neighbors to the East right now. In times where chaos and negativity are the most common form of exchange between people of India and Pakistan, the tiniest of gestures of kindness and appreciation can go a long way and change a lot of negative perceptions of people in both countries.
These Pakistani cricketers and their Indian taxi driver are winning over people from around the world for their kindness to each other
Team Pakistan is in Australia and they’ve already been making noise for their performance. But recently they’ve gotten attention for all the right reasons. While out and about town in Brisbane, Australia a few Pakistani cricketers invited their Indian taxi driver to have dinner with them after the driver refused to charge them for their ride.
Pakistan cricketers Musa Khan, Yasir Shah, Imran Khan, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi met an Indian taxi driver on their way to dinner in Brisbane
When he refused to charge them for the ride, they invited him to join them for dinnerhttps://t.co/eYSUiDSI9q pic.twitter.com/752z48D93I
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) November 25, 2019
The story of this generous exchange between Pakistani cricketers and their Indian taxi driver was first told by the driver to sports commentator Alison Mitchells
Alison narrated that the taxi driver who dropped her to the ground today got really excited upon finding out she was the commentator of the matches. He then proceeded to show her pictures of him with Musa Khan, Yasir Shah, Imran Khan, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi from the Pakistani cricket team and explained what had happened.
🚕🏏️🚖 The heartwearming story of the Indian taxi driver and five @TheRealPCB players.❤️
🎥📺@AlisonMitchell tells Mitchell Johnson about it on Commentator Cam. 🔊🎙️ #AUSvPAK
Listen live 📻📱 ABC Radio / Grandstand digital / ABC Listen app — https://t.co/dhH8gmo5FZ pic.twitter.com/qdwsK83F7X
— ABC Grandstand (@abcgrandstand) November 24, 2019
Yasir Shah also shared about this story of kindness and aman ki asha between Pakistani cricketers and the Indian taxi driver
Yasir shared that they didn’t know about any restaurant when they went out on their first day in Brisbane. Upon seeing Paa Jee, they ended up striking great conversations even in the taxi. When he didn’t the ride fair from them, the boys invited him for dinner which he accepted.
Yasir Shah on the incident which brought Pakistani cricketers and taxi driver together on dinner table
🎧 https://t.co/L47fv0CyCZ @Shah64Y pic.twitter.com/nLVxZNPPQc
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) November 26, 2019
This sweet turn of events led to heartwarming responses from fans on both sides of the border
People at both sides of the border were really touched by this story and soon, appreciation began pouring in.
Humanity and love has no boundaries. 🇵🇰♥️🇮🇳
— 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐓𝐮𝐦𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐢 (@BeingShamss) November 25, 2019
People took this exchange between the Pakistani cricketers and the Indian taxi driver to talk about their personal experiences
People started sharing their personal experiences of meeting other folks from across the border.
Visited Pakistan in 2004 for the ODI series. The hospitality I received there is unforgettable. Happy that a fellow Indian is repaying even in a foreign land. When all wars are fought and all politics is done with, we will realise we were fighting with our own.
— Salil Malhotra (@salilmalhotra) November 25, 2019
When I went to Lahore in 2006 to watch a match, the auto driver refused to take money from me, and the room, and the staff at the hotel refused to take tips. We were their guests, they said.
— The Shah of Blah (@mrgnk) November 25, 2019
Some brought up concerns about players eating lavish food that we all thought was recently banned by coach Misbah-ul-Haq
The humility and insanyat is gem here.. but on a different note , how are these guys allowed to eat Indian curry and roti/nan , if they have to be a world beating team they need to to as fit as possible, I hope they soon follow a strict dieting regime
— Sridip Panda (@SridipP) November 25, 2019
Others chose to see the bright side in this exchange between the Pakistani cricketers and the Indian tax driver
Now if Pakistan loses next match, sardar ji can be blamed for making them eat too much 🤣
Jokes apart, beautiful gesture 🙏🏼— नम्रता (@_Namrataa) November 25, 2019
People expressed their deeply rooted hope for peace to prevail between the two countries
i hope someday we both neighbours lives with peace and brotherhood …!!! respect for both of them indian driver and pakistani players
— Atif usman (@atifusman112) November 25, 2019
It’s a really beautiful gesture of kindness in these very tense times between India and Pakistan. This should be a lesson to people who believe war and hate is the solution for everything.
What do you think about this show of generosity by Pakistani cricketers toward their taxi driver? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
cover image via @ESPNcricinfo / Twitter