NEW DELHI, March 2: Pakistan’s cricket great turned politician Imran Khan on Sunday said that South Asia’s favourite sport could help improve relations between arch-enemies India and Pakistan.

“Cricket can help make all the difference in breaking the ice,” Imran told The Times of India in an interview. “The way forward is through cooperation.”

The former all-rounder, who led Pakistan to an epic triumph in the 1992 World Cup in Australia, felt hardliners on both sides of the border were benefitting from the tension.

“Cricket betweeen India and Pakistan would definitely be a step towards normalisation of ties. After all, this state of tension cannot be allowed to continue indefinitely,” said Imran, who is now a member of parliament.

India’s World Cup match against Pakistan at Centurion in South Africa on Saturday was the first between the neighbours in almost three years as India has maintained a boycott of cricket with Pakistan.

Passions run high during any cricket match between the two countries, which now have the bare minimum of diplomatic relations. India accuses Pakistan of fomenting the Islamic insurgency in Kashmir, which Islamabad denies.

Imran said he had always enjoyed playing against India.

“Tension is at its peak when India and Pakistan play each other and the kind of interest shown by the crowds further heightens this tension. If I did not perform well against India, I would not recieve proper acknowledgement.”—AFP