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The new president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) from Bangladesh, Muhammad Ali Asghar vowed Friday to strive and bring Pakistan and India back on to the cricketing pitch.

"Our main task will be to help revive the cricketing ties between the two countries," he said soon after taking charge of the ACC from outgoing president Lt-Gen Tauqir Zia in Islamabad.

"It is not going to be easy but we will try our best in our own humble way to bring both the nations up against each other at cricket."

"For the ACC to survive it is imperative that cricket relations between Pakistan and India are restored," said Asghar who also heads the Bangladesh Cricket Board.

The Pakistan Cricket Board's relations with its counterparts in India went from bad to worse after the Indians refused to cross borders for a scheduled Test series in 2000 and then again pulled out of a match of the Asian Test Championship in Lahore.

Pakistan ran the ACC for nearly two and a half years after succeeding Sri Lanka in the year 2000. Meanwhile Tauqir said that during his tenure, perhaps the most frustrating aspect was the non-resumption of cricket ties with India. "Despite our best efforts and those of Jagmohan Dalmiya (President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India), the Indian government unfortunately proved to be an obstacle."

"The holding of the 2nd Asian Test Championship without India, last year's Asia Cup which could not be staged and the refusal of the Indian team to tour Pakistan were all frustrating experiences."

While highlighting the achievements of the ACC Tauqir said that the council now had an identity of its own. "The ICC (International Cricket Council) today recognises us as the guardians of Asian cricket."

"The ICC granted us $6.5 million for development because of the collective stand of the four Test playing nations of Asia. The establishment of regional academies in UAE and Malaysia,together with a central academy in Nepal is a landmark. Besides, a permanent secretariat of the ACC is being established in Kuala Lumpur."

Tauqir thanked Dalmiya, also the chairman of the Asian Cricket Foundation and Ehsan Mani, president elect of the ICC who attended Friday's function, for their guidance and strength.

Earlier, Asghar,defended the decision of the ICC to grant them Test status. "For us it has just started and I don't think the ICC (International Cricket Council) has done anything wrong by brining us into the Test fold," he said while responding to a question put to him.

"If one has to object to Bangladesh, one must also look at the record of Sri Lanka, who too struggled early on after earning Test status."

Bangladesh joined the elite Test group in 2000 but have yet to make their mark. "Our target is the 2007 World Cup and I am confident that by then we will be able to achieve good results."

Asghar got the backing of Lt. Gen Tauqir Zia, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, who said that Bangladesh had enormous potential and their joining the Test ranks had strengthened Asia.

In order to help Bangladesh improve their cricket, Pakistan have dispatched Mohsin Kamal and Ali Zia to coach them.

© Dawn