Cricket fans were treated to a feel-good moment on Monday when Pakistan’s Mohammad Abbas and India’s Ishan Kishan celebrated a wicket together for Nottinghamshire during the County Championship.
In a video that quickly made the rounds on social media, Abbas and Kishan can be seen shaking hands and sharing a cheerful hug right after the dismissal — a scene that melted hearts on both sides of the border, where fans are more used to seeing these countries as rivals than teammates.
This season, the duo is suiting up for Nottinghamshire and they seem to be loving every minute of it. The clip, shared by Nottinghamshire’s official accounts, flooded comment sections with praise. One fan, Khawaja Naeem Akbar, wrote, “This is the real magic of county cricket — moments like this remind us why we love the game.”
Others echoed the sentiment. “Seeing Abbas and Kishan play side by side makes me happy and respect them even more,” a user named Faizan commented. Another cricket lover, Sultan Afridi, called it “a special moment for both Pakistan and India.”
In the same match, Kishan stood out with an entertaining knock, scoring 87 runs off just 98 balls, smashing a six and twelve boundaries. Abbas, known for his tidy bowling, kept things tight too — giving away only 19 runs in 10 overs and bagging a wicket.
While this isn’t the first time Indian and Pakistani cricketers have teamed up in England’s county circuit — remember Pujara and Rizwan at Sussex? — moments like these still feel rare and refreshing.
Fans can look forward to more cross-border camaraderie soon: Ruturaj Gaikwad is expected to join Yorkshire in July, and Abdullah Shafique will also enter the county scene once his visa issues are sorted.
