PCB believes India-Pak Champions Trophy clash would help improve ties India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is hoping that the encounter between India and Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy would help improve ties between both the countries. PCB's Chief Operating Officer (COO) Wasim Bari said the match would help remove the distrust and improve bilateral relations which had deteriorated after the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. "It is a good opportunity for people of both countries to come together and enjoy a good cricket contest. The match can also serve to improve relations and remove distrust. This is a sport and the result should be accepted sportingly," Bari said. India will take on Pakistan at Centurion on September 26. Bari said cricket has always helped in healing differences between both nations, and expressed the hope that this time too it works to resolve the stalemate. He also stressed that the PCB must improve ties with its Indian counterpart, the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI). "Relations between the two boards have always been good even when relations between the governments and people were not so good. Cricket is a big healer for both people of both nations and the PCB must improve its relations with India," The Nation quoted Bari, as saying.