The Pakistani prime minister Yousuf Gilani has decided that he will attend the
Cricket World Cup semi-final between India and Pakistan that
will be played at the PCA Stadium in Mohali on Wednesday. The two teams entered
the semi-final by beating West Indies and Australia and will play their fifth
game in World Cups. India have never lost to Pakistan in a world cup game before.
Earlier, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had decided to invite
the Pakistani Prime Minister for the game on March 30. The two teams have stopped
playing in bilateral series ever since the 2008 attacks in Mumbai.
According to the experts, this invitation and acceptance of the invitation will
help break the ice and allow the two countries to get into diplomatic talks once
again.
According to the spokesperson from Pakistan, Faharullah Babar, the ministry
has decided that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani will go to India to
watch the game between India and Pakistan at Mohali.
Even earlier, there have been occasions when cricket has been used to overcome
the issues associated with the two countries. Back in 1987, former President of
Pakistan Zia-ul-Haq had met up with Rajiv Gandhi, the prime minister of India
during a Test series between the two sides. Then, after not having played in a
bilateral series since 1989, the two sides had met in 2004, as the two countries
looked to improve things for them. India had gone to Pakistan for this series
and won both, the ODIs and the Test matches.
In this case, the game has proved to be a security nightmare for the security
men. The area has been cordoned off and it is expected that the security will
be so tight that it will be difficult for the spectators to get in anything. Tickets
are not available for the game, having been sold way before the two teams were
even decided, while no hotel near the stadium has any rooms left.
About 6500 visas have been issued to the citizens of Pakistan, to come to India
to watch the game, but it will be interesting to see whether these people get
the tickets for the games given that there aren't too many left.
India will look to enter their first final of the World Cup since 2003 whereas
Pakistan last entered the final in 1999. India beat Pakistan in the 1992, 1996,
1999 and the 2003 edition of the tournament.
|
