India, Pak are `giants of cricket`, should resume cricketing ties: Younis

Karachi [Pakistan], Oct.20 (ANI): Describing India and Pakistan as the `giants of cricket`, veteran batsman Younis Khan has called on the two nuclear-armed neighbours to set aside their strained relations and resume playing bilateral Test series. "It's my wish to play a Test in Pakistan again, play against India and against all top teams. India and Pakistan are two giants of cricket - one number one and the other number two - so whatever the situation between the two nations it must be forgotten and cricket should be played, people want to watch them play," Younis was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune. Political tensions between two nuclear-armed neighbours have not allowed a Test series against each other since 2007. Although Pakistan had toured India in December 2012- for a short limited-over series, they failed to resume full ties cricket, including Tests. The 38-year-old insisted that India and Pakistan should play regularly in the interest of international cricket. "Whenever we play India, people watch the game with unmatched interest and the game gets good promotion in the region. Therefore, it should be played and played regularly," he added. The hostilities between the two nations had further flared after the Indian Army carried out surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LoC) last month. Two Pakistani soldiers and over 30 terrorists were reportedly killed in the attack. The surgical strikes were in response to the terrorist attack at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 19 Indian Army soldiers. While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) repeatedly snubbed Pakistan's request for resumption of ties, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) wants the Anurag Thakur-led board to honour its commitment of six series between 2015-2023 under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2014, which is subjected to Indian government's clearance. (ANI)