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India, Pak to resume cricketing contacts
Ashok Tuteja/TNS

Mohali effect

Thanks to the Mohali cricket match, 'pappis and jhappis' between Punjabis on two sides of the India-Pakistan border could again become a regular affair. As the two countries initiate steps to lower tension between them, emphasis is likely to be laid on promoting people-to-people contacts.

This was quite in evidence at the PCA stadium too where supporters of the two teams tried to outshout each other while backing their respective teams in a friendly spirit.

Asked if the Mohali spirit would help promote Punjab-to-Punjab contacts which somehow has not impressed both New Delhi and Islamabad, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said this was very much one of the ideas.

Mohali, March 30
India and Pakistan appear set to resume cricketing ties soon in the backdrop of the Mohali spirit. At their meeting at the PCA stadium, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani emphasised on how sporting contacts between the two nations could create a better understanding between them.

Briefing reporters, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said Gilani felt that it would be very nice if the Indian team could come to Pakistan and play against the Pakistani team in the cricket field.

Asked if the Pakistani players could participate in the upcoming IPL T-20 cricket tournament too, Rao said: “I think, you will have to put this question to the organisers.” India and Pakistan have not played against each other in the bilateral format since the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. They did clash in international tournaments in the Champions Trophy in South Africa in 2009 and the Asia Cup in 2010 in Sri Lanka.