Brooke Bond Red Label and Star Sports have joined forces to bring together Indian cricketer Venkatesh Prasad and Pakistani cricketer Aamer Sohail to break barriers over a cup of tea.
The two players spoke about their playing days, when the rivalry was intense between India and Pakistan in cricket, and aimed to dissolve their differences in a live episode. The meeting is the first time the pair have met since a tense match in 1996 and was the idea of media agency Mindshare.
During the India vs. Pakistan knock out match in 1996, Pakistan opener Aamer Sohail had hit Venkatesh Prasad for four to the square boundary and then arrogantly signaled him to get the ball. Prasad kept his calm and turned his back to bowl the new ball. He got in a leg-cutter, and Sohail went for a big shot but completely missed the line and the ball crashed into the off stump. It was then Prasad's turned to show him the way to the pavilion.
Premjeet Sodhi, senior vice president Mindshare Fulcrum, South Asia said: “The idea of getting the two stalwarts from the two most rivalrous cricketing nations of the world to sit down relive and probably share a laugh over a cup of tea made for a great initiative for Red label tea, a brand that has always stood for breaking barriers."
Ajay Mehta, vice president, Mindshare Fulcrum Content+ said: “No one has seen Aamer Sohail and Venkatesh Prasad together after that electrifying match of 1996. To get them back after 22 years and that too in a live match between India and Pakistan, reliving the moment, this time over a different cup is sweet… isn’t it?”
Shiva Krishnamurthy, vice president, Tea & Foods, Hindustan Unilever said: “Brooke Bond Red Label's purpose is to help people find common ground over a cup of tea. The India-Pakistan Asia Cup match is the perfect occasion for Venkatesh Prasad and Aamer Sohail to come together over a tasty cup of Brooke Bond Red Label and chat about their epic exchange at the 1996 World Cup Quarter Final.”
