Sure talks, WC semifinal bodes well for Indo-Pak ties: Malik

NEW DELHI: Pakistan today said it was "sure" the forthcoming Home Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan which will be immediately followed by a cricketing "encounter" between the two countries will bode well for bilateral relations.

"This (Home Secretary-level talks) actually will set the tone for further meetings and (I) am sure both the Home Secretary-level talks followed immediately by the cricketing encounter--.....all bode well for our bilateral relations," Pakistan High Commissioner to India Shahid Malik said.

Asked if cricket can do what diplomacy has not been able to do since 26/11, the Pakistani envoy said he would not "belittle" the role of diplomacy in bringing the two countries together.

Hoping that there will be normal Indo-Pak cricket ties given the reception his team has received in India and it should also lead to "other things", he said "it (Pakistan team) has been very well received from the TV reports that I have received. I think it bodes well for the cricketing ties between the two countries and that is what should lead to other things also".

Commenting on the forthcoming World Cup semi-final between the two countries in Mohali, he told CNN IBN that "wherever India and Pakistan play, the excitement level is at its height".

Asked if he hoped for Indo-Pak 'clash' to be averted in Mohali, he said "no, it should not be averted, at least (not) on the sporting field."

He also hoped that his team wins the World Cup and said ".....the way our cricket team has performed in the World Cup, I have every reason to expect that they will carry through their good performance that we have seen in the matches so far."

"I have every reason to believe that ...whoever wants to come to watch the match and has a ticket will be given the visa", Malik said adding he has been receiving calls from his friends and others wanting to come to India and trying to find out about visa formalities.