In a replay of cricket diplomacy that could help resume their stalled peace process, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Friday invited Pakistani leaders Asif Ali Zardari and Yusuf Raza Gilani to see the India-Pakistan World Cup semi-final at Mohali March 30.
This will be the first cricket clash between them after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. Informed sources in Chandigarh told IANS that President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani — whose wife has also been invited — had accepted the invitation to watch what is being billed as the biggest draw of the World Cup 2011.
After India crushed Australia in Ahmedabad Thursday to set up the semi-final clash against Pakistan, Manmohan Singh — a strong advocate of peace with Islamabad — sent the invites through the Pakistani high commission in New Delhi.
“It gives me great pleasure to invite you to visit Mohali (in Punjab) and join me and millions of fans from our two countries to watch the match,” Manmohan Singh said in his near identical letters to Zardari and Gilani.
Manmohan Singh said his wife Gursharan Kaur will also be at the Mohali stadium, one of India’s finest cricket grounds. He urged Gilani to bring along his “gracious wife”.
“I propose to be at Mohali to watch the World Cup semi-final match between India and Pakistan… There is huge excitement over the match and we are all looking forward to a great game of cricket, that will be a victory for sport,” Manmohan Singh said.
India and Pakistan have not played cricket against each other since 10 Pakistani terrorists sneaked into Mumbai in November 2008 and slaughtered 166 people — almost triggering a war between the two countries.
-Agencies