Rangeela
International Coach
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2003
- Online Cricket Games Owned
-
The likelihood of India and Pakistan playing against each other regularly moved closer with the news that the Indian government has proposed a number of measures to its Pakistan counterpart in a bid to normalise relations between the two countries.
At the moment Pakistan are scheduled to tour India in February next year, with India in turn visiting Pakistan 12 months later. But the strained political relationship has meant that sporting contact between the two countries has been almost non-existent of late, with the Indian government opposing sporting contact with the exception of multination tournaments. India last toured Pakistan for a Test series in 1989, when Kris Srikkanth was captain, while Pakistan's last tour of India was in 1999.
"Obviously, the government have decided now is the right time to restore cricket ties,"said Ratnakar Shetty, the joint secretary of the Indian cricket board. "We are happy for this."
And Rameez Raja, the Pakistan Cricket Board's chief executive, welcomed the news, insisting that his board had always maintained that politics should not interfere with sporting ties. "I wholeheartedly welcome India's decision to send its team to Pakistan. We are very delighted and appreciate that Indian government has put cricket first. The PCB has always maintained that sports and politics should not be mixed. To improve the relationship, there has to be a people-to-people contact and cricket can be a good medium. I remember in the 1989 Test at Lahore, people came from New Delhi and Amritsar - and likewise when Pakistan played in 1997 and then in 1999, people from Pakistan went to Chandigarh and other Indian cities."
Last month Rameez Raja attended an ICC meeting in Mumbai, but he refused to take the credit for India's change of mind. "I went there as a sportsman, as Pakistan's ambassador and the PCB chief executive. I did the convincing or lobbying as part of my duties as a sport-loving individual.
"I want to put it on record that our Indian counterparts were also lobbying to in New Delhi for the revival of cricket, while our chairman and the ICC played their role at the ICC platform. I would like to say that it has been a collective effort."
India are scheduled to play three Tests and as many one-day internationals - but Rameez said he would like to see three Tests and five ODIs. "Our public has been starving to see India play in Pakistan for nearly 14 years. I think eight international matches would generate huge excitement and interest, while almost every centre will also get its due share."
Rameez said he hoped that the itinerary would be discussed during the next ICC executive board meeting, which is in Barbados on October 29.
Ehsan Mani, the ICC president, welcomed the announcement . "The international cricket community is delighted with this positive step. The India-Pakistan cricket rivalry is one of the great rivalries, not only in cricket but also in world sport, and the resumption of series between these countries is a boost for the game. I believe that these matches will help build greater understanding between the two countries."
Mani praised the efforts of all parties involved in reviving the series. "The Board of Control for Cricket in India and the Pakistan Cricket Board have both worked hard to revive the series and I am very pleased that the Indian government has taken this step today. "
? Wisden Cricinfo
At the moment Pakistan are scheduled to tour India in February next year, with India in turn visiting Pakistan 12 months later. But the strained political relationship has meant that sporting contact between the two countries has been almost non-existent of late, with the Indian government opposing sporting contact with the exception of multination tournaments. India last toured Pakistan for a Test series in 1989, when Kris Srikkanth was captain, while Pakistan's last tour of India was in 1999.
"Obviously, the government have decided now is the right time to restore cricket ties,"said Ratnakar Shetty, the joint secretary of the Indian cricket board. "We are happy for this."
And Rameez Raja, the Pakistan Cricket Board's chief executive, welcomed the news, insisting that his board had always maintained that politics should not interfere with sporting ties. "I wholeheartedly welcome India's decision to send its team to Pakistan. We are very delighted and appreciate that Indian government has put cricket first. The PCB has always maintained that sports and politics should not be mixed. To improve the relationship, there has to be a people-to-people contact and cricket can be a good medium. I remember in the 1989 Test at Lahore, people came from New Delhi and Amritsar - and likewise when Pakistan played in 1997 and then in 1999, people from Pakistan went to Chandigarh and other Indian cities."
Last month Rameez Raja attended an ICC meeting in Mumbai, but he refused to take the credit for India's change of mind. "I went there as a sportsman, as Pakistan's ambassador and the PCB chief executive. I did the convincing or lobbying as part of my duties as a sport-loving individual.
"I want to put it on record that our Indian counterparts were also lobbying to in New Delhi for the revival of cricket, while our chairman and the ICC played their role at the ICC platform. I would like to say that it has been a collective effort."
India are scheduled to play three Tests and as many one-day internationals - but Rameez said he would like to see three Tests and five ODIs. "Our public has been starving to see India play in Pakistan for nearly 14 years. I think eight international matches would generate huge excitement and interest, while almost every centre will also get its due share."
Rameez said he hoped that the itinerary would be discussed during the next ICC executive board meeting, which is in Barbados on October 29.
Ehsan Mani, the ICC president, welcomed the announcement . "The international cricket community is delighted with this positive step. The India-Pakistan cricket rivalry is one of the great rivalries, not only in cricket but also in world sport, and the resumption of series between these countries is a boost for the game. I believe that these matches will help build greater understanding between the two countries."
Mani praised the efforts of all parties involved in reviving the series. "The Board of Control for Cricket in India and the Pakistan Cricket Board have both worked hard to revive the series and I am very pleased that the Indian government has taken this step today. "
? Wisden Cricinfo
