Wahab Riaz invites Brian Lara to Pakistan

Fast bowler says he is honoured by Lara's statement to meet him and would love to host him in Pakistan

Fast bowler Wahab Riaz, who left the world stunned with his performance during the Cricket World Cup quarter-final against Australia in Adelaide, has invited cricket extraordinaire Brian Lara to Pakistan.

Lara recently said he would love to meet Riaz and termed the ICC’s decision to fine him "uncalled for”. He also offered to pay for it himself.

On Tuesday, Riaz took to social networking site Twitter and said he was ‘honoured’ that Brian Lara wants to meet him.

I feel really proud and honoured that legend @BrianLara wants too meet me. I invite the great man 2 Pakistan n would be honoured 2b his host

— Wahab Riaz (@WahabViki) March 24, 2015 ">

I feel really proud and honoured that legend @BrianLara wants too meet me. I invite the great man 2 Pakistan n would be honoured 2b his host

— Wahab Riaz (@WahabViki) March 24, 2015

Further, Riaz extended an invitiation to Lara and said he would love to be his host.

Read: I'll pay Wahab Riaz's fine: Brian Lara

Riaz’s 30 minute spell with Shane Watson that was the highlight of the match but the bowling ace was fined half of his match fee for mocking Australian batsman Shane Watson during their quarter-final match and sending a ‘kiss’ in the air. Conversely, Watson was fined only a meager 15% of his match fee.

Read: Shane Watson, Wahab Riaz to be charged for breaching ICC code of conduct

Responding to the fine, former West Indies batsman said, “I don’t know what the ICC is thinking. It’s just uncalled for. We need this in a sport that people are running away from, especially 50-over cricket. I loved the exchange."

“The incident happened in the 33rd over of Australia’s innings when Watson ignored the umpires’ instructions and verbally engaged with Wahab, who, at the end of the over, followed through towards the batsman and used aggressive and abusive language,” said an International Cricket Council statement.

“It was above the board as far as I’m concerned and I can’t wait to meet him. I want to meet with [this] Riaz guy. I’ll pay the fine,” Lara told NDTV.

“It’s ridiculous what the end result is. We are all entertainers. That to me was one of the highlights of the World Cup. A guy running in bowling at 150km/h plus and Watson looked like he was at school,” Lara had added.