New Delhi, June 12: The proposal for the resumption of cricket matches between India and Pakistan has now been put back in cold storage, a senior cricket board official said today. "After those few days of excitement, there is a general despondency in the two camps as we seem to be heading nowhere," the official said on condition of anonymity.
The last two months saw a thaw in relations, which remained frozen for a long period, and a flurry of confidence building measures by both countries at political and economic levels leading to speculation about a resumption in bilateral cricketing ties.
The positive sound bites emanating from the leaders of the two countries were quickly picked up by the two cricket boards who met at neutral venues to chalk out tentative tour plans and issued encouraging statements.
"However, things are at a complete standstill at the moment. I would even say there is no prospect of a thaw in relations in the next few months," the official said.
According to reports, the Pakistan and Indian cricket boards had decided to hold a token one-day international on a return basis in the two countries in September, followed by a full-fledged series in Pakistan in February 2004 after India had returned from Australia. Bureau Report