Shahid Afridi, Saeed Ajmal bat for resumption of India-Pakistan bilateral ties

Lahore: Pakistan’s cricketers have batted for peaceful relations and resumption of bilateral cricket ties with India despite the escalation of tensions between the two nations following the Uri terror attack. Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal noted that in the past cricket had helped reduce tensions and normalise relations between the two countries. “In the past also having cricket series helped reduced tensions and I firmly believe there should be cricket between the two countries,” Ajmal told reporters in Muzaffarabad, Kashmir. The off-spinner said whenever he played in India he had got love and appreciation from the Indian people.

The BCCI has completely ruled out having cricket ties with Pakistan and its President, Anurag Thakur said there would be no cricket until Pakistan sponsored terrorism. Afridi took to Twitter to push for a peaceful resolution of the recent hostilities between Pakistan and India. Afridi said Pakistan had always been a “peaceful nation” and that when two neighbours fought it “affected both.” Afridi and Ajmal, face the axe when the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announces the central contracts for 2016-17. According to a well-informed source in the board, the names of Afridi and Ajmal have not been included in the preliminary list of players who will be given the 12-month central contracts next month.

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The central contracts divided into four categories guarantee a lucrative monthly salary for the players regardless of whether they are playing or not. “The committee formed to finalize the list of players also has serious doubts about awarding contracts to some other players who have had perennial fitness issues or have been inconsistent in performances,” the source said.