Besides, Kashmir, Pakistan's military ruler Gen. Parvez Musharraf will take up deteriorating cricket relations between India and Pakistan during his forthcoming visit to New Delhi, Pakistan's Sports Minister SK Tressler said in Islamabad.

"Although the issue of Kashmir will top the agenda, the Chief Executive will also talk about the cricket relations between the two countries," Tressler told local media last night.

The immediate issue, according to Tressler, would be the much talked about India-Pakistan Test match to be held in Pakistan in September this year as part of the Asian Championship.

Last week, the Indian Cricket Board agreed to play the Test in Pakistan after a gap of 12 years. The commitment to play the match was given in writing by BCCI chief AC Muthiah at an ACC meeting in Lahore.

Muthiah's commitment was explained to be part of the Indian Government's policy not to restrain its team from playing against Pakistan except in bilateral series and at non-regular venues.

Doubts have arisen now about the match to be played in Karachi from September 13 to 17 after Sports Minister Uma Bharti publicly pulled up the BCCI for agreeing to play in Pakistan without taking the consent of the Government.

Musharraaf, an ardent lover of cricket and who time and again expressed his wish to see normalisation of cricket relations between the two countries, was expected to take up the issue with the Indian leaders during his forthcoming talks in New Delhi.

The military ruler has said a number of times in the past that cricket between the two countries provided great entertainment to people on both sides of the border and offered the contests as the best way out for normalisation of relations between the two nations.

Earlier this year, cricketing relations between the two countries appeared heading for a complete breakdown, when reports of Indian Government's decision not to play Pakistan in Sharjah last April evoked strong reactions from Pakistan Cricket Board Chief Lt. Gen. Tauqir Zia. The Army official threatened to severe all cricket links with India in retaliation.

But Zia, a serving Corps Commander and a close confidant of Musharraf, appeared mellowed down after the military ruler reportedly asked him to tone down his anti-India rhetoric.

Though India later said it would not play against Pakistan in any bilateral matches, the PCB expressed its happiness over India's decision to play in multi-lateral tournaments against Pakistan.

Referring to the Indian Government's sharp reaction to BCCI's announcement, Tressler said Bharati's statement further complicated the issues between the two countries. He said there appeared to be no co-ordination between BCCI and the Indian Government making it difficult for others to accept or reject their proposals.

Tressler said Muthiah, who took part in the ACC meeting had shown a letter from the Indian Sports Ministry, confirming India's willingness to participate in all tournaments in which besides Pakistan and India at least one more team takes part.

"What's happening in India? First, the BCCI officials show a letter from their government confirming their team's participation in the Asian Test Championship and then, they start saying something else," he said.

"On one hand, the Government has given permission to its Board to play against Pakistan and, on the other, it is rebuking the BCCI over confirmation of India's participation in ATC," Tressler said.

© PTI