Pakistan cricket chief Zakar Ashraf said he hoped to visit India next month to further efforts to revive bilateral ties stalled since terrorists attacks on Mumbai three years ago.
|Last Updated: Nov 18, 2011, 11:24 PM IST|Source: Bureau
Dubai: Pakistan cricket chief Zakar Ashraf said on Friday he hoped to visit India next month to further efforts to revive bilateral ties stalled since terrorists attacks on Mumbai three years ago.
"I have high hopes of reviving ties with India," Ashraf told AFP on the sidelines of third day-night match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka here on Friday. "I have received a positive reply from India today and hope to tour them next month."
Ashraf`s comments came on the day when blind teams from both the countries started a low profile series in Pakistan, the first visit by any cricket team to Pakistan in three years.
India stalled all bilateral ties with their South Asian neighbours in the wake of terrorist attacks on their commercial hub Mumbai, which New Delhi blamed on militants based in Pakistan.
But there has been a recent thaw, with Pakistan declaring India "the most favoured nation" and both prime ministers vowing to improve ties during their meeting at the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) conference earlier this month.
Ashraf expressed hope he would meet with Narayan Srinivasan, his counterpart in Board of Control for Cricket in India.
"I have high hopes of a positive meeting and when we can have sporting events like kabbadi and blind cricket with India, why not top level cricket which is already regarded as the most sought after series in the game," said Ashraf, who took over last month.
Ashraf said the International Cricket Council (ICC) has already termed Indo-Pak matches as an "iconic series" and everyone is waiting for both the nations to play.
As per the ICC Future Tours Programme, Pakistan and India are slated to play in March next year but India`s hectic schedule is a big hurdle in the series.
But Ashraf hoped a slot will be found.
"When there is a will, there is a way and we hope the bilateral ties to resume sooner than later," said Ashraf.
Pakistan last toured India in 2007, while their rivals have not toured them since featuring in the Asia Cup in 2008.
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.