Resumption of cricket can improve Indo-Pak relations: Abdul Basit

A day after Pakistan announced to host a cricket series with India in UAE, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit said on Monday that cricketing ties between the two countries will help foster better bilateral relations.

Talking to media in Lucknow on Monday, Basit said Pakistan and India had agreed to resume cricketing ties. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shahryar Khan had said on Sunday that it was ready to host a series in the UAE in December this year.

"There are some intangible things and their benefits might not appear in front of you immediately. But these are helpful in the long run,” said Basit. “When both countries are willing for their players to play, then what can be more valuable?".

Earlier in March, Basit had said that Pakistan was working “very hard” to resume bilateral cricketing ties with India, with a series being eyed in December.

Read: Pakistan working 'very hard' for Pak-India cricket series in Dec: Abdul Basit

Cricket board chiefs of both the countries met in Kolkata on Sunday, and agreed on a series will likely schedule three Tests, five one-dayers and two T20 matches.

The last time the two nations played a bilateral series was in 2012-13 when Pakistan visited India for three ODIs and two T20s.

The article originally appeared on DNA