Mohali match will revive Indo-Pak cricketing ties: hopes Pak

New Delhi, Mar 25 (PTI) Pakistan on Friday expressed
the hope that the Indo-Pak cricket 'encounter' in Mohali will
lead to resumption of bilateral cricketing ties and
improvement in other relations.
"It (Pakistan team) has been very well received from
the TV reports that I have received. I think it bodes well for
the cricketing ties between the two countries and that is what
should lead to other things also," Pakistan High Commissioner
to India Shahid Malik said.
India will play Pakistan in the World Cup semi-finals
on Wednesday in Mohali.
He said he was "sure" that the forthcoming Home
Secretary-level talks between the two countries which will be
immediately followed by the cricketing "encounter" will bode
well for bilateral relations.
"This (Home Secretary-level talks) actually will set
the tone for further meetings and (I) am sure both the Home
Secretary-level talks followed immediately by the cricketing
encounter--.....all bode well for our bilateral relations," he
said.
Cricketing ties between the two countries were
suspended in the wake of Mumbai terror attacks in 2008.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh invited his Pakistani
counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani and President Asif Ali Zardari
to join him in watching the match on March 30.
Asked whether cricket can do what diplomacy has not
been able to do since 26/11, the Pakistani envoy said he would
not "belittle" the role of diplomacy in bringing the two
countries together.
Commenting on the forthcoming World Cup semi-final
between the two countries in Mohali, he told CNN IBN that
"whereever India and Pakistan play, the excitement level is at
its height".
Asked if he hoped for Indo-Pak 'clash' to be averted
in Mohali, he said "no, it should not be averted, at least
(not) on the sporting field."
He also hoped that his team will win the World Cup and
said ".....the way our cricket team has performed in the World
Cup, I have every reason to expect that they will carry
through their good performance that we have seen in the
matches so far."
"I have every reason to believe that ...whoever wants
to come to watch the match and has a ticket will be given the
visa," Malik said, adding that he has been receiving calls
from his friends and others expressing interest to come to
India and trying to find out about visa formalities.