Kolkata, Oct 22: The Cricket Board today hailed the centre's proposal to fully resume the bilateral cricket ties between India and Pakistan saying, "it is a great day for cricket." Thanking the External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha for the "timely decision", BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya said, "it is a great day for cricket. Resumption of cricket ties between India and Pakistan will not only be beneficial for the game in the two countries, but also add a new leaf to the development and promotion of cricket in Asia."
The External Affairs Minister earlier announced in Delhi that India was ready to resume sporting ties with Pakistan in all disciplines including cricket and authorised the Cricket Board to independently talk to its Pakistani counterpart.
India had snapped bilateral cricket ties with Pakistan in the wake of the Kargil war in June 1999 and the cricket teams of two countries have not played on each other's soil for more than four years now.
India and Pakistan, however, have been playing in multi-national tournaments and they last played in the world cup in South Africa in March this year.
BCCI had been relentlessly pursuing with the centre for permission to resume bilateral cricket for more than two years now.
Bureau Report