NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called his Pakistani counterpart Friday to wish his cricket team luck in an ice-breaker conversation ahead of a World Cup grudge match between the arch rivals.
Modi said “cricket connects people in our region and promotes goodwill” after speaking with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and other South Asian leaders whose country´s teams are playing in the World Cup starting Saturday.
“Spoke to President ashrafghani, PM Sheikh Hasina, PM Nawaz Sharif & President Sirisena. Conveyed my best wishes for the Cricket World Cup,” Modi also tweeted. “Hope players from SAARC region play with passion & bring laurels to the region,” he said, referring to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.
Millions of India and Pakistan fans are expected to watch Sunday´s clash on television, while thousands of others are set to flock to the Adelaide Oval in Australia.
Modi´s cricket diplomacy comes after relations soured last year between the two neighbours over firing along their borders and cancelled peace talks between their officials.