SANIA UP FOR INDO-PAK CRICKET TIES TO BRING THE COUNTRIES TOGETHER

The Indian Tennis star, Sania Mirza, has strongly advocated the resumption of cricket relations between the two neighboring arch-rivals, India and Pakistan.

Sania, who recently married renowned Pakistani cricketer, Shoaib Malik, thinks that cricket can play a key role in bridging the years old gaps between the two Asian giants.

Talking to the media, Sania said, “The very fact is obviously people love it. I think it can make the relations between the two countries better.”

Sania’s statement is a follow-up of the cricket diplomacy that was restarted on the occasion of the Semi-final clash between India and Pakistan during the recently concluded ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.

 The Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, invited his Pakistani counterpart and both the political leaders watched the match together. Referring to that game, Sania said, “It is obvious, you have the two Prime Ministers watching together, so it is good stuff.”

Sania and Shoaib married in April last year. Both the sport stars were in love with each other. The marriage drew great criticism and opposition from Pakistan and the extremist circles of India. The couple is now leading a happy and successful life.

Pakistan and India formed the Subcontinent and had been part of the British Colonial rule in the past. The partition came into effect in 1947 and since then, the two nations have been at loggers head on different issues and have even turned to war four times.

Historically speaking, the game of cricket had been playing an instrumental role in diffusing tensions and bringing the two countries close.

In order to streamline the advantages of cricket, an ex-president of Pakistan, Gen Zia-ul-Haq, initiated cricket diplomacy in 1980s. This policy had been in operation till 2008 when the terrorist attacks in India led to the cutting off of all bilateral relations.

The ICC Cricket World Cup Semi-final gave the two sides an opportunity to hold negotiations on core issues and look towards normalizing bilateral relations.

Following the World Cup, both the countries have been engaged in diplomatic campaigns that are likely to produce some positive results.

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Discarded Pakistan batsman Shoaib Malik plays local cricket in India

Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik, who is struggling to make a comeback in the national team, has been seen playing local cricket in the Indian city of New Delhi.
The flamboyant all-rounder is in India these days after marrying Indian tennis star Sania Mirza. Malik has also represented Delhi Daredevils in the inaugural edition of the lucrative Indian Premier League.
While playing a local Twenty20 game for the Turf Cricket Academy Pitampura, the Pakistani all-rounder played an instrumental role in his team’s comprehensive victory. Malik smashed an unbeaten innings of 123 runs from just 57 balls with the help of 6 fours and 10 sixes.
“I haven’t held the bat for almost 25 days now, have been busy with some other commitments so it felt good to score some runs. It’s a nice experience, especially with the kind of competitiveness you have in club cricket here,” Malik said.
Malik opted to participate in the game when he and his wife reached New Delhi for attending a function. The all-rounder borrowed the bat from one of his teammates and smacked a fantastic knock. At the end of the game, the host player gifted the same bat to Malik for pleasant memories of the contest.
“Match practice is the best and back home in Pakistan; it’s difficult to gather net bowlers for practice, even at the academy. Good bowlers are usually busy playing matches and it had been quite some time I spent in Delhi, and whenever friend call me,  I come and play,” the Sialkot-born cricketer added.
Malik has served Pakistan in 192 One Day Internationals in which he scored 5,188 runs at an average of 34.35. The all-rounder has an exceptional record against India, as he has an average of over 50 in 33 games against them.
When asked about Pak-India cricketing ties, the blistering batsman described that politics had stopped the dialogue progress between the two countries but through cricket, the two neighbours can get together once again.
Malik further spelled out that he was not upset or frustrated for not being selected for the national team. He vowed that he would give his one hundred percent whenever he is given a chance to represent the country.

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