Told PM Modi India should resume cricket ties with Pakistan: Imran Khan

Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan, who is in India for Agenda Aaj Tak 2015, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and requested him to resume bilateral cricket ties with Pakistan.

India were supposed to play Pakistan in a full-fledged series including two Tests, five one-day internationals and two T20s in the United Arab Emirates in December but the BCCI refused to send its team to the Middle East. Pakistan declined an offer from the Indian cricket board to play a short bilateral series in India citing security concerns.

There was talk of a limited-overs series in Sri Lanka but all hopes were dashed when no mention of cricket was made in a meeting between foreign ministers Sushma Swaraj and Sartaj Aziz in Islamabad this week.

Imran, who led Pakistan to World Cup glory in 1992, is now one of the country's most respected politicians. He has now thrown his weight behind resumption of cricket between the arch-rivals.

"I told him that cricket should happen. Modiji smiled at that question and I couldn't decipher whether it was a 'yes' or 'no'. But I am a positive person and would take that positively. I had supported the boycott of South Africa by the cricket world during the apartheid era. That was about human rights violation and that was unacceptable," Imran told Rajdeep Sardesai, who was moderating the session, which also included former India captain Kapil Dev.

"We don't want to be enemies forever. You have to think about the future. There are mutual cricketing heroes in both our countries. Like Wasim Akram is adored and loved in India,Sachin Tendulkar is a hero in Pakistan," Imran said.

Kapil was more guarded in his response when asked if India should play Pakistan in a bilateral series. "The decision rests with the government. Both boards are ready to play but you cannot go against your government."