Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq
on Wednesday said he was relishing the prospect of playing Champions
League matches in India, where he aims to do his bit for improved
neighbourly relations.
 Razzaq will become only the second Pakistani to play in the Champions League after Yasir Arafat. © AFP |
Razzaq will become only the second Pakistani to play in the Champions
League after Yasir Arafat, who represented Sussex in the first year of
the tournament in 2009.
"I am really very excited to be playing in India," Razzaq told AFP. "It's a great chance and I will take a message of goodwill for Indians."
The Board of Control for India (BCCI), which runs the lucrative
Indian Premier League (IPL) as well as the Champions League, barred
Pakistani players from featuring in both events after they played in the
inaugural IPL in 2008.
No Pakistani team is again invited to the Champions League, an event
where the winners of Twenty20 competitions in top Test playing countries
take part -- but Razzaq hopes that will change.
"I hope the respective governments will negotiate to resume the
Indo-Pak cricket because without India and Pakistan playing each other,
cricket is deprived of a high-profile, most-watched cricket series,"
said Razzaq.
India stalled sporting and other ties with neighbour and old rival
Pakistan in the aftermath of the 2008 terrorist attacks on Mumbai, which
New Delhi blamed on militants based across the border.
But Razzaq said cricket was "the binding force" between India and Pakistan, two countries where the game is massively popular.
"Doors should always be open for sportsmen or else you change the
name of cricket, because cricket is the binding force between these two
countries, which we have seen in the past," he said.
Razzaq claimed that an IPL without Pakistani players is less attractive.
"When we played in the ICL (Indian Cricket League) the whole charm of
that league was Pakistani players playing in India, so I hope that
after I go and play the Champions League, India also open doors of IPL
for Pakistani players.
"I have faced no problems playing in India and even in the worst of
times people of India welcome Pakistani players with open hearts and I
hope I am soon part of a Pakistani team playing against India."
There are suggestions that might happen soon.
Pakistan Cricket Board has said it is negotiating with the BCCI over a
possible tour to India next year -- approved under the Future Tours
Programme of the International Cricket Council.
Razzaq also hopes Pakistan find a suitable coach after Waqar Younis.
"Pakistan needs a coach who can motivate the players and don't have
ego problems," said Razzaq, who was dropped after the World Cup in
March.
He has so far played 46 Tests, 262 one-day internationals and 26 Twenty20s for Pakistan.
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