If a thaw is predicted in India-Pakistan relations amidst tensions over Siachen and other border issues, cricket may have played a big part again.
The working committee of the BCCI, which met here Saturday, has recommended the inclusion of Pakistan’s champion T20 team, Sialkot Stallions, in the Champions League to be held in India in October. The governing council of the Champions League, a joint property of BCCI, Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa, is certain to accept the BCCI proposal.
BCCI’s decision could have been taken only in consultation with the foreign office since cricket ties with Pakistan have been on the blink after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. The Pakistan team played in India in 2011 in a heavily fortified World Cup semi-final in Mohali.
But bilateral ties stay suspended and Pakistani cricketers have not been participating in the Indian Premier League for four seasons now.
The resumption of full-fledged cricket ties was broached with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh when Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari visited India on a pilgrimage to the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer last month along with his son Bilawal. Pakistan stays isolated in cricket since no international cricket team has visited Pakistan after a terrorist attack on the visiting Sri Lankan team in Lahore in 2009.
The participation of the Sialkot team, led by Indian tennis star Sania Mirza’s husband Shoaib Malik, in a T20 championship in India may be a harbinger.