There is no denying that over the years, India and Pakistan have fought one other in several military conflicts. The most notable of the many intense moments that come to mind is the rivalry between arch-rivals Gautam Gambhir and Kamran Akmal during an Asia Cup match.
In a recent interview, though, the former Pakistani wicketkeeper-batter discussed his connection with Gambhir—who is currently the Indian team’s head coach—in more detail. Akmal compared the tie between Gambhir and himself to that of a brother.
“We have a strong friendship and a nice bond. Even with the great Gautam Gambhir.
That is to say, Gautam and I are also close friends. We get along well, me and him. According to, Akmal said, “He’s like my brother,” in an interview with Arvind Krishnan.
While taking over as head coach, Akmal also congratulated Gambhir on winning his first Test series. India just won handily over Bangladesh at home.
I should actually congratulate Gautam on winning his first Test series in charge of the team. I’m overjoyed for him,” Akmal said.
We used to discuss wicket-keeping a lot: Kamran Akmal
Turning his attention to his relationship with former Indian team skipper MS Dhoni, Akmal listed the many qualities of the guy for which he was grateful. He also disclosed that he liked to talk cricket with Dhoni, whether it was batting or wicketkeeping.
Without a certain, MS Dhoni is a completely different kind of person. He is a match-winner and incredibly composed. He had an incredible career and performed in a wonderful fashion. We used to discuss wicket-keeping a lot. We used to discuss batting a lot, and talking to Dhoni was frequently beneficial, Akmal continued.
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Following his retirement from international cricket in 2017, Akmal most recently played for Pakistan Champions in the World Championship of Legends in 2024. In just seven games, he amassed 180 runs at a scorching 148.76 strike rate.
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