Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari reported to have written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, welcoming the revival of cricketing ties between the two countries. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has invited Pakistan to play three one-dayers and two Twenty20 matches in December-January, the first bilateral contests between the arch-rivals in five years. The cricket board is awaiting the government’s clearance for the series. Mr Zardari wrote in his letter that he is ‘glad’ that cricket matches will resume between India and Pakistan, saying, “Matches will be strong confidence building measure and add to a positive atmosphere.” “Matches will encourage people-to-people contact,” he added. The rivals have not played a series since Pakistan’s tour of India in 2007, after cricket ties were snapped following the 2008 terror attacks on Mumbai.
