Musharraf wants cricket ties to resume

Surviving members of the 1952 team with Pakistan president Photo © PCB

Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's president, has made his pitch for the resumption of cricketing ties with India, which he said would benefit both countries and also cricket in the region.

Speaking at a reception to honour the surviving members of the Pakistan cricket team that went on the country's first Test tour to India in 1952, he said: "It's very unfortunate that India has not played us for a long time, we need to leave the past aside, India should start playing us for the mutual benefits and for cricket in South Asia."

Fazal Mahmood presented with a new Pakistan blazer Photo © PCB

Since that inaugural series, bilateral cricket ties have been intermittent at best. There were no matches between 1961 and 1978, and it's now 14 years since India played a Test match in Pakistan. Pakistan's last Test tour of India was in 1999, months before the Kargil conflict led to a further deterioration in relations.

"Cricket is a passion in South Asia which is so very rich in talent, and teams will improve if we play each other and sports can add interaction," said Musharraf.

The late Abdul Hafeez Kardar led that 1952 side, and those team-mates who have outlived him were presented with medallions, Pakistan blazers and Rs 200,000 (US$4200) each. The survivors are Fazal Mahmood, Hanif Mohammad, Imtiaz Ahmed, Israr Ali, Khan Mohammad, Waqar Hasan, Wazir Mohammad, Rusi Dinshaw, Zulfiqar Ahmed, Khalid Ibadullah, Khursheed Ahmad and Khalid Qureshi.