I miss your country’s fish jhol: Wasim reminisces playing in Bangladesh

During a Facebook live chat with Bangladesh ODI skipper Tamim Iqbal and three of the heroes of Bangladesh's 1997 ICC Trophy victory, Pakistan legend Wasim Akram reminisced fondly about the time he used to visit Bangladesh to play both domestic and international matches. The legendary left-armer mentioned that he still misses having 'fish jhol' in Bangladesh.

On Tuesday night, Wasim appeared as a special guest in Tamim Iqbal's live chat that also featured former Bangladesh cricketers Minhajul Abedin, Khaled Masud and Akram khan.

Wasim played for Abahani in 1995. And during one part of the video chat, Tamim enquired how Wasim, who was already a superstar back then, had opted to play in Bangladesh's domestic league.

"Wasim bhai, I wanted to ask you one thing. 1995 was the year you played for Abahani. You were a superstar back then. What did you think and why did you come and play for Abahani and in Bangladesh?" Tamim asked.

Wasim informed how former Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Mustafa Kamal had first invited him to come and play in Bangladesh.

"I think first of all, I wanted to see how much Bangladesh have interest as far as cricket is concerned. And believe me or not, the financial gain was a separate matter. I remember [Mustafa] Kamal bhai, he invited me out of the blue. He urged me that 'you must come and play an Abahani vs Mohammedan game'. In Pakistan, we do not have football or cricket clubs so passionate like in your country.

"I think even in the first game [against Brothers Union] it was packed house in the stadium and I was amazed to see the interest in cricket. I have heard stories from other cricketers who played in Bangladesh and how they played in packed houses with passionate fans. I actually never thought cricket is so big in Bangladesh. The reason was Bangladesh was very close to me and I wanted to explore the country, the food, the people. And I do miss your fish jhol a lot by the way," Wasim reminisced.