Sourav Ganguly Can Help Resume India-Pakistan Bilateral Series - Rashid Latif

Former Pakistan skipper Rashid Latif has urged the current Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Sourav Ganguly to help Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) resume India-Pakistan bilateral ties. Notably, political relations between these two neighbouring are not good, and it got worse after the Pulwama attack in 2018.

The last time India and Pakistan played any bilateral series was in December 2012 for three ODIs and two T20Is. The ODIs were held in New Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai with Ahmedabad and Bangalore hosted T20I fixtures. Since then, they have played against each other only in ICC events, most recently during the ICC World Cup 2019 in England.

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Ganguly can play a lead role: Rashid Latif

While there are no signs in the improvement of relations, but Rashid Latif feels Sourav Ganguly can play a catalyst to resume the ties. Notably, Ganguly during his cricketing days, played a crucial role in India agreeing to tour Pakistan in 2004 despite BCCI’s reluctance.

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“As a cricketer and BCCI President, Ganguly can help (Ehsan) Mani and the PCB,” Latif was quoted as saying by ‘The Nation’. “Unless full-fledged Pakistan-India bilateral series resumes, things won’t improve for both countries. The world wants to see Pak-India playing cricket,” he said.

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India clinched the five-match ODI series 3-2 while they also won the three-match Test series 2-1 when Sourav Ganguly persuaded BCCI to tour Pakistan. Rashid Latif stressed on that fact, saying that the BCCI President is the ideal person to lead a positive dialogue in bettering the relationship between two countries.

“PCB CEO Wasim Khan should also play his active part to ensure top cricket-playing nations come and tour Pakistan as it will help Pakistan cricket and local players.”

“In 2004, when the BCCI was reluctant to tour Pakistan, it was (Sourav) Ganguly, who persuaded the BCCI and players. It was a highly memorable tour for India as they managed to win big here after a long gap,” Latif concluded.