LAHORE, May 22: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf reckons that the revival of Indo-Pak cricketing ties is near.

Cricketing ties between the neighbouring countries have been frozen since the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai but the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) has now extended an invitation to the PCB chief to attend the Indian Premier League (IPL) final.

And Zaka believes that it will pave the way for restoration of cricketing ties between the arch-rivals.

“Efforts have been made since 2008 to revive the cricketing ties between the two countries and they are now likely to bear fruit, specially after President Asif Ali Zardari’s meeting with Indian counterpart, PM Manmohan Singh in New Delhi,” said Zaka.

“In the wake of that meeting, a number of positives have come out and we have been discussing the revival of cricket between the two countries which I feel is not too far now,” Zaka told reporters here on Tuesday.

“Before making the announcement about my invitation, the BCCI president N. Srinivasan asked me if I would accept something like that and I immediately responded in the affirmative and told him that it is a good step to bring the two countries closer,” Zaka said.

“The BCCI have also invited our T20 champions Sialkot Stallions for the next year’s Champions League and that is also a healthy development and a good sign for the things to come,” said the PCB chief.

“In fact, we both should take further steps to strengthen the Indo-Pak relationship.”

To a question, Zaka said the PCB was considering three venues to host Australia in August on a neutral venue. “In fact, our priority is to select the neutral venue which should be affordable to the PCB by all means and for that purpose even India may be considered,” he said.