India-Pakistan cricket ties to resume next year, says envoy

Hyderabad, Nov 16 (IANS) India and Pakistan will resume their cricket ties with a series next year, Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit said here Sunday.

He said six series will be played between two countries till 2022.

"Work has already been done in this regard," he told reporters.

The Pakistani envoy said the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) visited India two weeks ago.

"Inshallah (God willing), the first series will be played next year," he said.

The first series is expected to be played in the United Arab Emirates.

India suspended all series with Pakistan after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, which New Delhi blamed on militants from across the border.

Basit, who is also fond of poetry, while referring to the present state of bilateral relations between the two countries, quoted this popular couplet of renowned Pakistani Urdu poet Ahmad Faraz.

"Silsilay tod gaya woh sabhi jaate jaate, Warna itne to marasim the kay aate jaate."