Indian PM acknowledges sporting ties boost with Pakistan

LAHORE, May 30 (Reuters) Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has praised the role of cricket in boosting sporting relations with Pakistan, a senior official of the Pakistan Cricket Board said today.

In a letter to the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Shaharyar Khan, Singh said the Friendship Cup series between the two countries in Abu Dhabi in April had taken sporting relations between the nations to new heights.

''We appreciate and value the letter from the Indian premier.

That he has acknowledged the role of cricket in Indo-Pak sporting relations in his letter is very encouraging for us,'' PCB director Abbas Zaidi told Reuters on Tuesday.

After the Indian government lifted a four-year freeze on bilateral cricketing ties with Pakistan in 2004, the two countries have played three test series and one-day internationals on neutral grounds.

The two Friendship Cup matches helped raise 10 million dollar for the earthquake victims of the October 2005 quake that devastated the northern areas of Pakistan and parts of India.

Pakistan and India along with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will jointly host the 2011 World Cup and Singh wished them success.

REUTERS CH HS2234