Zaka Ashraf terms India-Pakistan series as 'ice-breaker'

By Tasawwar Abbas

LAHORE: Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Zaka Ashraf said Tuesday that the resumption of Pakistan-India cricketing ties is an “ice-breaker”.

Talking to reporters in Lahore, Zaka Ashraf revealed that President Board for Cricket Control in India (BCCI), N Srinivasan has confirmed him about the three-match One Day International and two-match Twenty20 International series in phone call.

The PCB chief said, "The BCCI has said that they have a time slot available in December after Christmas and in early January as they are hosting England as well”.

Showing his excitement over the resumption of ties, Zaka Ashraf said, "We are delighted with this invitation and development and see it as a big ice-breaker in revival of bilateral ties between the two countries. The series will also help improve relations between the two countries. The BCCI invitation today is the result of some really hard work put in by both boards in the last few months to resume bilateral ties and what is welcome is both governments have also supported revival of bilateral ties”.

Zaka Ashraf, who took over as PCB chairman in October 2011, appreciated role of BCCI in breaking the ice. He said, "I realized we could make progress when the BCCI invited us to send our domestic T20 team for the Champions League this year”.

Following Mumbai terrorist attacks in November 2008, India halted cricketing relations with Pakistan and the last team the two bitter neighbours met each other in a bilateral series was in 2007 but since then the two archrivals have met only once and that was in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup.

Talking about the popularity of Pakistan-India cricket matches, Zaka Ashraf said, "I am sure millions of cricket fans in both countries will be happy with this decision. Indo-Pak cricket ties are also important for the promotion of the sport internationally."

He added, "Though we will be playing in India but I am sure the series will have positive impact on revival of international cricket in Pakistan as well”.