WATCH: Amid India-PAK tensions after Operation Sindoor, star Pakistan cricketer rings the bell on Day 3 of Manchester Test
New Delhi: Team India is facing England in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Currently, the play on Day 3 of the fourth Test between India and England is underway at Old Trafford in Manchester. During the current match, a special moment took place as Pakistani cricket great Wasim Akram visited the stadium. He began the game by ringing the bell, a custom seen at many grounds in England. How did fans feel about Wasim Akram's presence?
Wasim Akram's presence at an India match would not have been unusual a couple of months ago, but it is the first time that a Pakistan legend is turning up for an India game since Operation Sindoor. The two countries were in a state of increased tensions in May 2025, when they two neighboring countries were in a war-like situation. India cut off all diplomatic connections with Pakistan for the terror attack in Pahalgam. Where is the video?
Pakistan and Lancashire legend @wasimakramlive rings the bell to get play underway on day three at EOT! 🐐🌹❤️#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/fo7fr3kNzZ
— Emirates Old Trafford (@EmiratesOT) July 25, 2025 What happened in the sports world after Operation Sindoor?
Ever since the Operation Sindoor, the sports heroes have also refrained from meeting players of other countries and have instead been vocal about expressing solidarity towards their country, which also resulted in the cancellation of the recent Indo-Pak match at WCL 2025. Akram's appearance has therefore left the web buzzing. It is also not known if Akram attended the Stadium for the bell ceremony alone or if he will be commentating for Day 3 of the fourth Test as well. Why do star players ring a bell?
It is a time-honoured tradition where a prominent personality rings a bell present in the ground, five minutes prior to the start of play, to alert the audience and players that the match is going to start in five minutes. Hence, the name derived from there and it is known as the Five-Minute Bell. Talking about the ongoing match, Farokh Engineer and Clive Lloyd rang the bell on Day 1, as Lancashire County also paid homage to the two legends by naming a stand after them.
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