LAHORE: International Cricket Council (ICC) president Zaheer Abbas while underlining the importance of Indo-Pak cricket relations said on Tuesday that the Indian Premier League (IPL) could be more value added if Pakistan cricketers also feature in the event.

Matches between Pakistan and India had got great importance and both countries should play against each other on regular basis, said the former Test batman while talking to reporters here.

“Players of both countries should play in each other’s leagues which will help strengthen cricket relations between the two countries,” he said.

The former Test batsman said that as ICC president he was not in a position to comment but he said he was a great supporter of warm cricket relations between the two neighbouring countries.

“Obviously, if cricketers of the entire world will be playing in the IPL, its value will enhance further and I think time has come now that the two countries improve their cricket relations by adjusting each other’s players in their respective leagues,” remarked the ICC president.

On the occasion, Zaheer also congratulated Shashank Manohar and Anurag Thakur for being elected as ICC chairman and BCCI president, respectively.

Zaheer, who completes his one year tenure as the last ICC president in July, said that he had telephoned Manohar and Thakur to congratulate both of them.

“Anurag has also invited me to come to India to watch IPL matches,” Zaheer said, adding that he was yet to decide on his visit to India.

Nonetheless, he reaffirmed there must be contacts between the two boards in order to strengthen cricket relations between the two countries.

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2016