LONDON: King Charles has appreciated Pakistan’s sincere efforts in mediation to bring about peace between the United States of America and Iran, adding that he’s as old as Pakistan – both aged around 80 years.
The king expresses his appreciation as he welcomed the Pakistan cricket team to Buckingham Palace, where he met the players and discussed their stay in the UK and the ongoing Test series against England.
Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK Tipu Usman and British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott also accompanied the team.
During the meeting, Jane Marriott briefed King Charles on Naqvi’s mediation efforts between Iran and the United States and told the King that Naqvi, while representing Pakistan, was playing a key role.
The king asked Naqvi about the latest developments in the mediation process and expressed surprise that the conflict had continued. The king expressed his view that the conflict was continuing in some shape but commended the role of Pakistan.
Naqvi described the mediation efforts as “a story of one step forward and one step back.”
Pakistan cricket team players and officials met King Charles at Clarence House, the historic royal residence, in London.
The king also discussed cricket and Pakistan’s efforts to maintain peace and security in the country with Naqvi.
Speaking to Geo News after the meeting, Naqvi described his meeting with King Charles as “very productive”.
This was the king’s first appearance at an official event since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex returned to the UK with their children.
Charles spoke about his hopes of returning to Pakistan when he hosted the country’s cricket squad and officials at Clarence House ahead of their third and final test match against England.
The team has lost the three-match series after being comprehensively beaten in two tests by their hosts and at the weekend dropped a string of players.
Referring to the 80th anniversary of Pakistan, to be celebrated next year, the monarch, who turns 78 in November, told a group of players, “I’m almost the same age as Pakistan
Touching his chest, he referred to the year he was born, “1948”, and said, “so I have an interest”.
Charles, who visited Pakistan in 2006, later told other cricketers: “I hope I get to Pakistan before I’m too old – so many places I want to go.”
Pakistan captain Babar Azam introduced each player individually to King Charles III during the team’s audience at Clarence House in London. The king spent considerable time speaking to the players, asking about their fitness, how they were finding conditions in England, the English weather and how they were performing during the tour. He also asked whether the players were getting sufficient rest and discussed their views on cricket. Reports confirm that Charles engaged individually with members of the squad and offered encouragement ahead of the final Test against England.
King Charles told the players about his own interest in cricket and discussed the ongoing Test series. The meeting was not merely a ceremonial group photograph. The king spent time chatting with the players and officials before Babar presented him with a signed cricket bat on behalf of the Pakistan team.
During the conversation, the king was told about Mohammad Abbas’s achievement at Lord’s, where the Pakistan fast bowler earned a place on the famous Lord’s honours board. Abbas took five for 57 in England’s second innings, completing the five-wicket haul by dismissing Dan Lawrence and Ollie Robinson. It was particularly significant because Abbas had narrowly missed the honours board during Pakistan’s 2018 Test at Lord’s, when he took four wickets in each innings.
The king was also told about Saud Shakeel’s outstanding batting at Lord’s. Shakeel made 97 from 122 balls, including 13 fours and two sixes, narrowly missing what would have been his fifth Test century. Pakistan were struggling at 14 for three when Shakeel and Shan Masood put together a 97-run partnership. Shakeel was Pakistan’s principal resistance as the side chased 389 in the fourth innings.
During the more informal exchanges, King Charles also joked with off-spinner Sajid Khan about his distinctive curly moustache.
