The glacial pace of negotiations between Pakistan and India over resuming cricket ties has taken a significant step forward with the announcement of a forthcoming visit to India by Zaka Ashraf, the Pakistan cricket chief.
Ashraf took over as chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) last month and has made the resumption of bilateral ties with India - on hold since November 2008 - one of his priorities.
"I have high hopes of reviving ties with India," he said during the third ODI between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Dubai. "I have received a positive reply from India today and hope to tour them next month."
India cut off ties with Pakistan in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks in late 2008, which they blamed on Pakistan-based militants. A recent political thaw between the two countries - including improved economic ties - and the replacement of the former PCB chairman Ijaz Butt has added new urgency to matters.
Ashraf hopes to meet Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief N Srinivasan in Chennai during the first week of December.
"I have high hopes of a positive meeting and when we can have sporting events like kabbadi and blind cricket with India, why not top-level cricket, which is already regarded as the most-sought-after series in the game," Ashraf said.
Though the PCB has made repeated efforts to break the impasse, the BCCI's response has been ambiguous. As per international cricket's Future Tours Programme, the two are scheduled to play a full series in March next year but a hectic schedule for both means the prospect remains unlikely - for now, at least.
Until the last series between the two - when Pakistan toured India in 2007-08 - matches had become regular for a brief period; that series was the fourth since 2003-04. Additionally, they played a bilateral ODI series in Abu Dhabi in 2006 and India toured Pakistan for the Asia Cup in 2008.
Ashraf also met MK Lokesh, the India ambassador to the UAE, during the match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
"India playing Pakistan is the highlight of international cricket, and in the recent positive atmosphere between the two countries it is conducive to play cricket, and I will convey this to New Delhi," said Lokesh.
"Cricket is in the blood of people in both the countries and it can be used as soft diplomacy as it has in the past and relationship has improved in the past as well through cricket."
Jameel Khan, Pakistan's ambassador to the UAE, also welcomed the developments.
"People from both India and Pakistan want to see the teams play, and if the venue is UAE we are more than keen to host the matches," said Khan.
"It is the most followed series in the world and people should not be deprived of it."
osamiuddin@thenational.ae
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
MATCH INFO
Juventus 1 (Dybala 45')
Lazio 3 (Alberto 16', Lulic 73', Cataldi 90 4')
Red card: Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus)
Match info
Athletic Bilbao 0
Real Madrid 1 (Ramos 73' pen)
The%20specs
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Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The Old Slave and the Mastiff
Patrick Chamoiseau
Translated from the French and Creole by Linda Coverdale
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
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