Ishant Sharma faces Pakistan's Mohammad Abbas in English County Championship

Cricket fans all across the globe have been desperate to witness India take on Pakistan on a cricket field but the political relations between both the nations have somehow ruined the expectations of the fans. It is now only in the ICC events that the arch-rivals lock horns to give their fans a moment of delight.

But recently in a county game between Sussex and Leicestershire, fans got to see a mini battle when one of the Indian cricketers was up against a Pakistani test cricketer. A cricket rivalry that is more than 70 years old, can now be experienced in such mini battles that take place on some foreign land.

Ishant Sharma against Mohammad Abbas

Ishant Sharma, after being denied any contracts at the IPL auction, is making his debut for Sussex club this season. In his second match for his club, he was impressed with the bat against Leicestershire as he struck a well made fifty. Before getting out for his highest first-class score of 66, Sharma relished his battle against the Leicestershire’s own international bowler Mohammad Abbas.

The bowler was convinced that he had the Indian veteran leg before at 34, but the umpire denied the appeal as Sharma scored his maiden first-class 50 to register a 153 run partnership with Michael Burgess for the eighth wicket to help his side secure the advantage in the first innings. The battle between the two was made to notice by the Ex-Kent player Niall John O Brien, who took to Twitter to mention about an Indian Test cricketer being up against a Pakistan International.

Here’s the tweet:

Great watching a @BCCI Test cricketer up against a @TheRealPCB Test cricketer in county cricket this week.

— Niall John O Brien (@niallnobiobrien) April 22, 2018

Ishant is relishing his maiden county stint at Sussex as he prepares himself for the upcoming tour of England in July-September. India is due to play a five-match Test series here in England, as the lanky pacer hopes to count on his experience from his county stint.

Mohammad Abbas, who is selected for Pakistan’s upcoming tour to England in May for the two-Test match, wants to get acclimatized to the conditions which can prove to be worthy in the Test series.

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