Former Indian World-Cup-winning captain (1983) Kapil Dev has welcomed former Pakistan World-Cup-winning captain (1992) Imran Khan, who is set to become Pakistan’s new Prime Minister after his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has recently won the general elections. Kapil has a high hope on his friend Imran Khan as he believes that the former Pakistan cricketer can bring close the neighbour countries.

After mentioning Imran’s achievement was the result of “very, very hard” work, Kapil spoke out his friend’s desperate attitude that has led him to reach the goals.

Kapil told ThePrint, “Most people only speak about reaching their goals, but Imran showed it can be done. It’s a great achievement that a fellow cricketer who played for his country, has become the top man in Pakistan.”

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Kapil gives an example in the cricketing career that strongly proves Imran Khan’s bold character.

Kapil said on that, “In the early ‘80s when you went to Pakistan, people used to say Pakistani umpires won’t let you win. So Imran said, ‘I want neutral umpires’.

“It was a big step. A person who takes a step as big as that is someone with character. He showed character (and said), ‘Let the umpires come from England and Australia…anyone who wants to play in Pakistan should have neutral umpires’. That was a very big step.”

Talking about the reason for taking that kind of decision, the former Indian captain added, “He wasn’t a yes man. He won’t be a yes man. I don’t know how much success he will get (as prime minister), but he has to make a team, like in cricket. He has to take everybody along”.

Kapil Dev also strongly believes that Imran Khan can influence the Pakistan army and lead to growing the nation.

Kapil said, “Knowing him, I’m sure he will (be able to) carry the country. People look up to him, He has a huge personality. He has done good things, built a cancer hospital. He hasn’t compromised with any negative person. If he can just take the country together, and the army also.

“Either you take the army or the army takes you, there are two ways of looking at it. I personally feel he can influence the army and say, let’s grow Pakistan together.”

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Kapil Dev has revealed that Imran Khan was very shy when they first met in 1978/79. The former Indian captain observed the changes of the former Pakistan all-rounder’s character, once he became the captain of Pakistan cricket team.

Talking about that, Kapil Dev said, “When I first met him, he was very shy. He wasn’t ready to give his views. This was in 1978-79. Once he became captain of Pakistan, slowly he changed. Everybody realises one day who they are. When he became a captain, he was ready to give his views.”

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Kapil Dev has praised Imran Khan’s leadership quality during the cricketing career. Dec also said that Imran had a touch of dictatorship in him.

Dec said on that, “Not just a good captain, he was an excellent captain. Handling the Pakistani players is not easy. They are very aggressive people. The best thing about him is that he not only made them (into one) team, but people till today respect him as their captain.”

“When he said something, he had a touch of dictatorship in him…meaning, what I say, you have to do. He was ready to (stand) up for his team and say I want this team. He could tell the selectors, this boy is good enough for me, he is good enough for Pakistan, so he is good enough for you, the selectors. He was ready to take the challenge, which not many people can do.”

While Dev loves the Pakistani people as he mentioned, “Pakistanis are very hospitable people, very wonderful people”, he also said that the cricket is not possible until the relationship has improved.

Dev said, “You cannot have bad relations on the border and play cricket inside. Improve relations and cricketers will never say we don’t want to play in the other country.”

Talking about the improvement of the relationship between the two countries, the former Indian captain brought out the examples of improving relationships between North and South Korea or East and West Germany.

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Talking about that, Kapil said, “Biggest issue is let us have peace in this part of the world. If Koreas can get together, if Germany can become one, why not we in this part of the world who have a better relationship?

“They should stop firing on the border, stop the negativism. If you spend 20 per cent of money on the border, on security forces, you can spend that money on the growth of the country.”