London, Oct 23: The International Cricket Council has welcomed India's decision to resume bilateral cricket ties with neighbours Pakistan and hailed it as a "positive step" which would "help build greater understanding between the two countries". "The international cricket community is delighted with this positive step," ICC president Ehsan Mani said in a statement here yesterday as Indian Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha announced a slew of peace measures which included full resumption of sporting ties with Pakistan.
"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," he said. "I believe that these matches will help build greater understanding between the two countries."
According to the ICC calendar India is scheduled to tour Pakistan in February next year. This would be India's first tour to Pakistan in 15 years. India had last toured Pakistan in 1989 while Pakistan visited India in 1998-99. "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," said Mani who had stated that one of his missions during his tenure as president of ICC would be to help the two countries revive cricket ties. Bureau Report