The Afghan ambassador to Pakistan, Mohammad Umer Doudzai, told VOA that the two countries need to improve these ties even more. He said this would also help strengthen anti-militancy efforts on both sides of the border.

“Our cricket team is born ((in refugee camps)) in Pakistan and trained and coached mostly by Pakistani team. Maybe soon they will defeat Pakistan. These are all civilized interactions. And the uncivilized interaction is those ((militant)) sanctuaries, those suicide vests, those bombs, those explosives. We have to get rid of that. We have to replace the uncivilized interaction with the civilized interaction.”

A week before the game, Afghan President Hamid Karzai made a visit to Pakistan. He urged Pakistani officials to help with peace talks between his country and the Taliban. I’m Bob Doughty.

You are listening to As It Is, from VOA Learning English. I’m June Simms.

Pakistani Immigrant Makes Mark in US National Football League

Nearly every team in the National Football League is owned by someone born in the United States. Now, a man from Pakistan is part of the league’s ownership group. In fact, he’s the only ethnic minority member ever to own an NFL team. Faith Lapidus has more.

Shahid Kahn is one of the most recognizable names in Jacksonville, Florida. The 63-year-old American businessman owns the city’s NFL team: the Jacksonville Jaguars.