Miandad bats for Indo-Pak series at neutral venues

Miandad bats for Indo-Pak series at neutral venues

Karachi: Javed Miandad, former Pakistan captain and now PCB’s director-general (cricket operations) has welcomed the suggestion from the Indian Union Minister Shashi Tharoor to organize cricket series between India and Pakistan in neutral venues like USA.

"If Tharoor means what he has said then it is a welcome and positive sign coming from an Indian minister because Pakistan has never said no to bilateral cricket ties with India," Miandad said.

Tharoor, the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs, who has had his education in the USA, was of the opinion that the country has many cricket lovers and with a large contingent from both Asian cricketing giant nations residing there, an Indo-Pak series would be a huge success in the US.

Taking Tharoor’s idea a step further, Miandad suggested that both the nations form a common council consisting of great Indian and Pakistani former cricketers like Imran Khan and Sunil Gavaskar to suggest ways to revive bilateral cricket ties.

"Formation of such a common council with former greats would highlight the role of cricket in normalising ties between both countries. It will also ease pressure off the governments and help diffuse the current tension," Miandad said.

Indian government stopped Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men from touring Pakistan early this year after the terror incidents in Mumbai last year, but the PCB has been insisting on reviving bilateral cricket ties with India even at neutral venues.

PCB chairman Ejaz Butt is presently visiting India with speculations in the media that he would call on BCCI officials to discuss the possibility of holding a one-day series next year at any neutral venue, preferably England.

Miandad said that he had always stated that sports and the politics should not be mixed up.

"Unfortunately whenever there has been tension between the governments, cricket has been affected the most, although this sport has played a big role in removing apprehension and misunderstanding between the people," he said.

Miandad, who was Pakistan coach when India toured the country in 2004 after a gap of 14 years, pointed out that the series had given a big boost to the process of confidence building between the two countries.