LONDON, June 20: Former International Cricket Council (ICC) president Malcolm Gray has suggested that India and Pakistan resume their bilateral cricketing relations in neutral countries if political issues continue to hamper resumption of exchanges on the field.

“The game would rather have Indo-Pakistan cricket ties in neutral venues than no exchange at all. The game is being hurt by this impasse,” Gray said in an interview to Indian media shortly before he demitted his office on Thursday.

Criticising the Indian government’s stand to play Pakistan only in multilateral events, ruling out any bilateral ties in either countries or at neutral venues, Gray said “Sports should not be used for political ends, that’s the position of the ICC. But at the national level, it seems to be used for political ends.”

He said cricket could actually act towards unifying and bringing people of both countries closer.”Cricket can be a great unifier and bring closer people of both countries,” he said.

Gray was also critical of India’s stance vis-a-vis cricketing exchanges with Pakistan in his annual report to the ICC.”Whatever the political arguments, the decision is hurting immeasurably the game of cricket,” he said.

Gray had favourable impression of General Pervez Musharraf after meeting him two years ago in Lahore where he was on an invitation by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

“I took great encouragement from his enthusiasm for the sport and commitment to avoid making political mileage out of one of the world’s great sporting rivalries.

“Unfortunately, this view is not shared in India,” he said.

But Gray praised BCCI for trying to break the impasse and said ICC was committed to do whatever it could to help the resumption of cricketing ties between the two neighbours.

The BCCI has decided to shoulder a heavy responsibility to the game by taking on the task of working with its government to allow the resumption of cricketing ties between the two nations.

“While the BCCI has decided to pursue this goal on its own, the ICC wishes to work with it and the Indian Government to try and identify away in which this impasse can be broken,” he said.—PPI