ICC welcomes moves to resume cricketing ties between India and Pakistan

The resumption of cricketing ties between India and Pakistan at the Under 19 and "A" levels is a welcome step along the path of resuming full cricketing contact between the two countries the International Cricket Council (ICC) said today.

In welcoming the announcement that India and Pakistan will resume cricketing contact at a level below full international status, ICC President Ehsan Mani said that he hoped that this initiative would lead to the resumption of full international cricket between the two countries.

"India and Pakistan on the cricket field is one of the world's great sporting rivalries," said Mr Mani.

"The announcement that these two powerful cricketing nations will again meet on the field, albeit at a level below full international status, is a welcome step along the path to the resumption of full cricketing ties between the countries.

"When these two teams met in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 the passion that the match generated and its ability to have a positive impact on people in both nations was apparent.

"Cricket, like all sport, has the capacity to promote understanding and generate goodwill and I would urge the political leaders in both countries to allow the game of cricket to assist in building relations between these two nations rather than being used for a political purpose."

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