Pakistan and India are set to resume their cricketing ties after a five-year break later this year. According to statements issued by the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the neighbouring countries will play one-day international and twenty20 matches between December 23 and January 10.
India was due to tour Pakistan early 2009 but the tour was called off following the November 2008 attacks in Mumbai. While Pakistan and India played each other in international tournaments once each year from 2009 until 2012, a bilateral series between the countries was being sidelined. With security problems in Pakistan, there were little chances of India touring the country and there were reports of a neutral venue being considered for a series. Now, however, it has emerged that the series will be played in India and while there is a long way to go until the logistics and details of the series are confirmed until December, the bilateral cricket ties between both countries seem to be back on track.
While the series comes as a much needed ice-breaker, it remains to be seen how the news is received by the masses on both sides. Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has reportedly criticised the move by BCCI to confirm the series against Pakistan, basing his reaction on the Mumbai attacks.
Dawn.com invites its readers from both sides of the border to share their thoughts on the decision to resume bilateral cricket ties.
Should Pakistan and India resume their bilateral cricket ties?
How will the proposed cricket series help break the ice between the governments on both sides?
Is it a good idea to use a cricket match (or series) to bring together people of both countries, including their leaders, as was the case in Mohali last year?
The point here is, either the decision of Indian Govt to snap the Cricket ties in 2008 was right, or this one, if it gets Govt Approval, but not both. If it was justified then to stop playing cricket with Pakistan, then nothing really has changed till date in the Mumbai case, making it justified to keep the Cricket at bay. If the Govt of India approves this tour, then they are, in essence, proving that their decision taken in 2008, was wrong !!
They must think a lot before approving it hence !!
The indian girl shown on the picture has J and K truncated. That map is not approved by GOI. Take that off your forum. Do not try to legitimize the annexation of pak occupied kashmir.
Is this about and only for cricket and sport Matter?
because as mention in report, Pakistan- India played each other in international tournaments once each year from 2009 until 2012,hockey and other sports were also played after 26/11. Only bilateral series between the countries was being sidelined. that means, both nations politics is only matter, cricket and sports are never matter…!
so its not about cricket or sport,these politicians of both nations making fool to people,they divert issue under pressure of third nation!
and remember , these will also not for peace at all,yesterday Dhoni also said “We have to keep sentiments aside for Pakistan series”,but not BCCI/PCB or both nations bureaucrats said,and they will never said it! India Pakistan cricket series under political clouds are only increases hate in younger generation, in fact due to there political motive,they want to continue “felling of enemy and Hate” for each other.
I wont blame PCB – they are pretty much bankrupt.
But what excuse does BCCI have to resume cricket ties – SHAME ON BCCI & MANMOHAN SINGH.
The best thing Indians can do if the tour happens at all is to boycott all matches and turn off the TV sets. The BCCI worships money more than it cares for the people of Mumbai. Pay them back with their own coin. The Govt and Judiciary of Pakistan will do nothing that delivers justice. Look how the evidence against the prime accused was thrown out today once the games were announced.
I think India should grow up and learn to accept its losses and try to move on. Greater powers than India have suffered greater losses at the hands of terrorists but have reconciled with it. Why does India continue to whine endlessly over Mumbai ? PCB or Pakistan cricket team was not responsible for these attacks. Having said that i think our sports ministry needs to calm down a bit as well. As if playing cricket with India is the most pressing need of the times. A few more years of not playing with them will not be counter-productive to us in any way.
Time & again BCCI, IPL & some of the Indian major parties have insulted Pakistan’s gesture of playing cricket in India & inviting them to play cricket in Pakistan. I totally fail to understand the logic behind such below dignity approach by PCB to play cricket with India. Although I am sure that the Indian government will in the first place not give NOC to BCCI to host the matches however even if Indian team is allowed to play the matches it won’t improve relations & won’t do a bit good. In fact Team Pakistan will meet a very hostile crowd.
Yes like Mohali Semifinal which you forget to mention.
Jeers and Boos. Out of nowhere the people at the helm decide to resume cricketing ties. Wat about other impending issues??How come in a fortnight or so there is a turn around. Whats going on????
Quaid-e-Azam said in an interview given to a swiss correspondent that, ”any hope of India and Pakistan coming to a peaceful settlement, provided that the Indian Govt, shed the superiority complex and deal with Pakistan on an equal footing”, but the Indian gesture is not exhibiting any sign of dealing with Pakistan on equal footing and intentionally prolonging the issue of Mumbai attacks. If there is any evidence that must be shown publically and if not then stop reiterating on non-issues and start a new era of peaceful coexistence because it is not Afghanistan nor you are America to onrush on a mere attack which is purely an internal security failure.
I have no issues with innocent Pakistan nationals, bt i think it is insensitive on the parts of BCCI to resume matches with Pak.
I don’t think that this tour will take place. This Indian public opinion is completely against playing Pakistan. The government is yet to ratify this tour and I think it just my buckle under public pressure.
Dear all, Cricket not only the thing but unless the media and politicians of both sides will show each others positive image, the gap will be always there.
So try not to blame each other. we are brothers of one mother and there can be misunderstanding between brothers and it can be for some time. and we hope the time will come soon when we will be altogether someday.
Jai Hind, Pakistan Zindabad…Wish Pakistan come over from this bad(America&Taliban) time very soon.
It takes two to bridge the gap but time and again its proven that there is no sincerity on the part of Pakistan to take the ownership of all the wrong doings that started at the time of partition and have yet to stop.
LETS NOT FOOL OURSELVES and think carefully that behaviors DO NOT CHANGE OVERNIGHT. A concerted effort must be made by all those who have had bad intentions to harm the God Fearing People of its neigbour country.
I pray for lasting peace on planet earth and would like to reiterate that `Majhab Nahi Sikhata Auron Sey Wair Karna’.
BCCI and its people are after the money and royalty which they will be getting from these highly charged matches. Real agenda is no peace, politics or anything else…its only money money money.
That may not be an entirely bad thing you know. When all sides have a stake in making money, all sides will have a stake in keeping the peace too.
Sorry to say but pakistani cricketers are not welcome in india. Please do not come.No Mumbai progress= No future relationship no matter how hard the politicians try. this time the hit has been to the hearts.The time for an apologising , adjusting Indian is PAST.
Apologising adjusting Indian ? Sorry did I miss something?
@Imran … yes. You have obviously missed generations of incapable governance from your end, which lead to such proliferation of terrorism from your country.
Wake up dude … look around. When will you realise that your government cannot keep hiding fromt he world all it’s backdoor tactics ???
While i think it made sense for India to stop the pakistan tour due to mumbai carnage, i am not sure for the rational for lifting that restriction. Believe me i love India/Pakistan matches and i think we should have them. The decision to stop was made on a very specific issue and that issue has not gone anywhere in the last 4 years. Also with Jundal arrest it only re-iterated indian stance. So i am not sure, why the tour is on. Not sure what is the hurry to start the series now.
Can’t agree more with you..
Look at the opinion polls conducted by Dawn and The Times of India.On the former, a majority say yes.On the latter however the vast majority say no for the matches.Looks like a political and security outlook is overriding the spirit of the game in India.
Although I am a great supporter of India-Pakistan crickrt and people to people contact,I still feel this (resumption of cricket ties )is way premature . It is a slap in the face for all those innocent people who have lost their near and dear ones in the Mumbai carnage.
I am a great supporter of Pak-India cricket but until Samjhauta Express bombings criminals are hanged, specially Col. Purohit, these events like cricket matches holds no value. Col. Purohit should be hand over to Pakistan, so that all Indian govt/army sponsored terrorism activities in pakistan can be exposed. This resumption of cricket ties is very premature and is a slap on the face of all those innocent pakistani people who lost their lives in Samjhota Express bombings
As much as I support and hope for peace between India and Pakistan, I see no scope for improvement in ties.
The Samjhota terror attack was a vile act just like the Mumbai attacks, but to say India is actively supporting terror in Pakistan is unreal. The Samjhota terror attack was on Indian soil, while Pakistani terror attacks are on Indian soil. That’s a major difference. Ahmed tell your fellow Pakistanis to stay in Pakistan.
Pakistan, having fomented terror have now lost control of their terror machine, which is now eating into Pakistan itself. This may well end up destroying Pakistan.
India should distance itself from Pakistan until it sorts out its own complexes or implodes. Only then should it start talking.
Zinda baad Ahmed & Irfan. Pakistan needs more objective, intelligent, knowledgeable and courageous people like you guys. Its funny, how no indian will respond to objective responses from you.
Akhtar, Ahmed & Irfan. Here are some differences; Col Purohit, Saadhvi Pragyan ect are jailed and are being investigated. We Indians who has seen the Samjuatha Exp incident and the reports will agree openly that these people should be tried and punished if guilty. But as I said they are behind bars already. Not only Pakistanis but also Indians were killed in this incident. Why doesn’t your heart go out to these Indians as well. This happened on Indian soil – these fellows didn’t come to your cities and do this. So why hand them over to Pakistan. On the other hand, Hafiz Saeed and his cohorts remote controlled the whole event in Mumbai and it is a well known fact that all the terrorists killed and Kasab are Pakistanis. Yet your agencies, your courts and people like you exhort that they are innocent and the evidence is not substantial. At least we are providing evidence, whether you take it or not, what evidence have you provided about Purohit or any other.
Then lets hope common sense prevails and BCCI and PCB cancel this series as soon as possible. Anyhow this series is only going to help the cash strapped PCB.
Another juvenile response.
The people accused (not even held guilty) of the Samjhota attack are in JAIL. Second, the attack occured in India and that is why they should be tried there!
Your courts seem to just be finding one excuse after another. First judges are transferred randomly and then they reject the reports of a commission that Pakistan sent over. Ridiculous. We don’t need cricket or trade with Pakistan. Since the PCB is bankrupt i doubt you can say the same.
Samjhauta happened in India and was investigated by Indian authorities. They made progress without any help from Pakistan and Indian authorities themselves declared who was behind it. Its not a case where something happened on your soil and there are loads of proofs that prove foreign hand. So, two totally different cases. Argument for the sake sake argument as well is not same as it happened in India and was first found by Indians. We don’t want to blame every Pakistani for whatever happens here, but what happened in Mumbai was seen by entire world with naked eyes and there is no way it can be covered under carpet.
Chalo phir rehnae do. Aapnae ghaar hi baitho.
The Pakistan government should come clean on the role of ISI & Hafeez Saeed in the Mumbai Terror attacks. The Aman ki Asha, Trade & Cricket ties will continue to grow once the atmosphere of suspicion & fear can be reduced. Indians want to live in peace with all it’s neighbours including Pakistan but the govt. of Pakistan should crack down on hardline elements & stop poisioning the minds of young children of Pakistan to hate India.
Indian govt. and its terrorist arm RAW should come clean on its terrorist activities on innocent Pakistani people be it in pakistan or outside. People in Samjhauta express were Indian guests, they were the Ambassadors. Even the worst of enemies didnt hit others Ambassador. Such are the coward people Indians are, always attack from the back.
Really Mumbai Attack was wrong and all that person who responsible for it should be punished as soon as possible.But Due to this attack we destroy our relation and it is wrong.My Question is why we allow to play England cricket team in our Country while we know the British Government was directly responsible for mass murder in India(Before 1947).
If we bear grudges for things that happened over 60 years ago, then noone will have a friendly relationship. Mumbai attack happened recently, with the wounds being fresh. The actual perpetrators are still alive and continuing their activities. Yours is a false analogy, my friend.
Totally agree wid u
pakistani and indian youngsters both are unaware of truth about their relationship
the are misguided by filthy people
Terrible decision from BCCI. It completely ignored the sentiments of a billion people back home. Just wonder what prompted it to take such a “warm” step when nothing has changed across the border.
People in India definitely feel let down and ignored in this whole process of “friendly invitation” thing..
P.S. . Just wonder how the families of those 170 odd victims of that massacre are taking this “generous good gesture” by BCCI…
Terrible decision from PCB to accept BCCI offer to play in India. Just wonder how the families of those 80 odd victims of Samjhauta Express are taking this generous good gesture from PCB.
Indian govt. and people are enemies of innocent pakistani people, people like Sarabjeet Singh openly admitted that they were on the payroll of Indian govt.
Please please please, stop these acts of terrorism, jeo aur jeenay do
There is a high possibility that the earlier version of the Samjhauta express was wrong. Col. Purohit might not be guilty anymore.
still waiting for the answer for mumabi attack where state actors were involved .. series can wait
I agree completely. Series can and should wait. Decades if necessary.
How an active army Indian officer involved in the brutal attack on Samjhauta express that killed 70 odd innocent Pakistani people? How a RAW agent Sarabjeet Singh conducts serial bomb blasts in Lahore and Faisalabad that killed 14 people? Clearly India supports and exports terrorist.
THis decision to invite Pak is not endorsed by people of India. BCCI is insensitive to the pain and suffering of our fellow countrymen. All this while Pak fails to cooperate with investigations. Shame on India!
It doesn’t matter if we play India or not. But Zaka Ashraf shouldn’t be bending over backwards for India. Its disgusting and shameful. He should never have gone to India to watch the final of the IPL. He should never have entertained the option of hosting Pakistan’s matches in India. Playing India isn’t so important to us.
its a shame on the part of indian give to resume cricketing ties or for that matter any kind of ties with pakistan for the simple reason being our gov is so so insensitive to the lives of common indians that they think now since 4-5 yrz have passed by and ppl must have forgotten abt mumbai. Pakistan will never prosecute the people behind mumbai attacks…so i don’t blame them but only the indian gov for being so insensitive to the relatives of the ppl who have died…
shame on our indian gov…