India has rejected Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's appeal for their cricket team to play in Pakistan, saying that "cricket and cross-border terrorism" cannot go together. "How can we send the cricket team to play in Pakistan when they are supporting terrorist activities in Kashmir," Vikram Verma, the sports minister, was quoted as telling the Press Trust of India.

He said the policy formulated jointly by the sports, home affairs and foreign ministries forbade the Indian cricket team from playing bilateral series against Pakistan.

Musharraf had earlier said his country would only play a Test series against India at a neutral venue if the return series was also played outside the two countries.

Speaking to ICC President Malcolm Gray about an issue that has divided opinion right across the subcontinent, Musharraf had said, "I would like India to send its cricket team, but if they have not yet opened the way for bilateral ties, we would only play at a neutral venue provided our return series in 2004 is also played outside India."

Musharraf admitted that cricket was a more emotive issue than other sports and that might account for the Indian government's reluctance to resume cricketing ties. "I sent our polo team to India earlier this year over-ruling all advice and the team got a huge reception in India, so sport should continue," he said. "Cricket may be different because it involves the emotions of billions of people and that could be one reason of India not reviving cricket ties."

India are scheduled to tour Pakistan next year for three Tests and three one-day internationals, but the Indian government has refused to reconsider its prevailing attitudes towards bilateral cricketing ties. The two countries have not played each other since the Asia Cup in Dhaka in May 2000.

Gray is in Pakistan to study the feasibility of future cricket tours there, in the wake of the US campaign in Afghanistan. He met with Musharraf for 80 minutes on Thursday and was given assurances about the safety of any teams that may tour there. It may be recalled that New Zealand cut short their Pakistan tour earlier this year after a bomb blast near their hotel in Karachi.

India and Pakistan will meet in a World Cup match in South Africa in March.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd