ISLAMABAD: India has invited Pakistan to play the friendship baseball series in India in April with India captain Ankit Joshi calling it an effort to revive sporting relations between the two neighbouring countries.
‘The News’ broke the big news on the sidelines of the West Asia Baseball final between Pakistan and Palestine.
Captain Ankit Joshi while sharing the news said that they were eagerly waiting for Pakistan team to travel to India for the friendship series. Joshi was also accompanied by Indian Baseball Federation secretary Harish Kumar.
“We have invited Pakistan baseball team to play at least three-match series in India in April to set the sports exchanges rolling. Pakistan has accepted the invitation and now we are eagerly waiting for the West Asian champions to cross the border and play the series,” Harish said.
The Indian captain hoped that Pakistan would be welcomed in a big way in India.
“We have got a big marketing value for such a series and have planned to beam these friendship matches live. Like cricket and all other sports, Pakistan-India matches have always attracted a big following. We hope to attract the spectators and generate required funds by arranging such a series,” Joshi said.
When questioned that the Indian government always discouraged such tours, he said that the India team has reached Pakistan for the West Asia Cup only because of their government’s permission.
“Things are going towards improvement in sporting relations. We are here because of the Indian government’s permission. That means the Indian government wants to restart the sporting ties between the two countries and that is why we were granted permission.”
Joshi was hopeful that Pakistan baseball team would be having no issue in getting Indian visas for the proposed friendship series to be held in April.
Besides granting visas to the Indian baseball team, Indian tennis players also visited Pakistan last month for the ITF Juniors.
“We are thankful to Pakistan for granting us the permission to travel to Pakistan.”
“Indian newspapers are full of criticism of the Indian government for not allowing cricketers to play bilateral series against Pakistan when the baseball team is in Islamabad for the Asia Cup. I think this is just a beginning as we would see the doors opening up for more sporting relations between the two countries in months to come,” Harish added.
He was happy with the welcome Indian team received in Pakistan. “We just met Minister for IPC Ehsanur Rehman Mazari who welcomed us. The minister hoped that the Indian teams would keep on visiting for such events as well as bilateral series.”
Joshi was of the view that by organising such series, the overall standard would improve in each game.
“I propose arranging friendship series in every sport. Such relations would help improve overall standard of specific sport. I think both the countries must realise that. I strongly believe that there should be no bar on the sports team exchanges. We are waiting to welcome the Pakistan team,” Joshi said.
India and Pakistan are expected to play a friendly match today (Thursday) at the Sports Complex venue to mark the revival of sports relations between the two countries.