Modi, Sharif cricket diplomacy |
India and Pakistan have resorted to cricket diplomacy, but that did not deter Pakistan from sticking to its age-old agenda against India. India Prime Minister Narendra Modi is riding the game`s virtues at a time when political relationship with Pakistan has been on a low. Ahead of a crucial World Cup 2015 match between the arch-rivals, Modi reached out to his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif and the two shared cricket jokes to break the ice. India and Pakistan play each other at Adelaide on February 15. As usual, tensions are high and expectations have sky-rocketed in the sub-continent. In the past too several political heads in Pakistan have used cricket to sweeten relationship with India. Both Modi and Sharif are avid cricket fans. Sharif has personally attended several important cricket matches in the past, and Modi has given a special impetus to development of sports in India. He even wished MS Dhoni and his players in a series of tweets. Modi was also in Australia for a diplomatic meeting recently and had former cricketers Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and VVS Laxman by his side. Both the countries can bank on massive support from a sizeable Diaspora based in Adelaide. It is learnt that Modi has agreed to revive secretary level meetings between the two countries which had been canceled in the recent past. However, this did not deter Sharif from telling US President Barack Obama that India does not deserve to be a permanent member of the United Nations. Obama, who called up Sharif the night before Prime Minister Narendra Modi dialed the Pakistani leader, also told him that New Delhi would soon re-engage with Islamabad. State-run Pakistan Television said Sharif told Obama a permanent seat for India in the UN Security Council (UNSC) was unacceptable as it has not complied with UN resolutions on Kashmir. Sharif wants Pakistan also in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
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