Morgan keen on reviving India-Pakistan cricketing ties

HOBART - International Cricket Council (ICC) chief David Morgan has said that the world body will make every effort to revive cricketing ties between India and Pakistan.

Morgan told Pakistan daily ‘The News’ Tuesday that he is all for the resumption of bilateral cricketing ties between India and Pakistan, saying the rivalry brings a lot of excitement.

“One of the things I am working on is trying to persuade the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that they should play bilateral matches with Pakistan and not just in ICC events,” he said.

“This is because Pakistan versus India is equivalent to the Ashes. It is very important for both countries that they renew their rivalries on the field in the five-day game. I am very hopeful they will,” stressed Morgan, who took over as the ICC chief after serving as chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

“Part of my role as (ICC) president is to be an honest broker,” Morgan said when asked whether he can actively involve himself in reviving the cricketing ties between the two neighbours.

Bilateral cricket matches between Pakistan and India were suspended in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks in November 2008. Since then, they have just met in one international match - at the Champions Trophy - last year besides playing a warm-up game in the lead up to the World Twenty20 in Nottingham last summer.

Pakistan have been pushing for a resumption of bilateral matches with India to boost its finances. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) received a huge setback in late 2008 when India announced it will not send its team to Pakistan for a full series.

Morgan said the ICC is concerned about the fact that Pakistan cricket is going through a tough time.

“The ICC is determined that Pakistan should not be isolated. Pakistan is an extremely important cricketing nation, a very important part of the ICC. If you look back at the last two decades, Pakistan has produced some of the most stylish, some of the most achieving cricketers,” Morgan said.

“Its important from world crickets point of view that Pakistan is not isolated and that cricket continues to thrive there as its obviously difficult when cricketers cannot play on their home turf.”

Morgan is hoping for a positive outcome from next months meeting of the ICC Task Force that was formed last year to help Pakistan cricket after international teams refused to tour the country following an attack on Sri Lankan cricketers in Lahore last March.

“Well be having a report from task force chairman Giles Clarke on February 9 when we meet in Dubai.”

Last year, the ICC established the task force to ensure the return of international cricket to Pakistan. It is headed by Clarke and includes ICC general manager cricket Dave Richardson, former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja, former England skipper Mike Brearley, and former Sri Lankan captain Ranjan Madugalle among its other members.