Modi calls up Sharif, wishes good luck for World Cup

Ending the six-month long diplomatic chill between New Delhi and Islamabad, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called up his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif and conveyed his best wishes to the neighbouring country’s team for the Cricket World Cup.

Though the prime minister also called up his counterparts in three other cricketing nations in South Asia, the initiative is being seen as a cautious move to explore resumption of stalled bilateral engagements between India and Pakistan. He also announced that new Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar would soon start a Saarc Yatra, which would take him to all South Asian nations, including Pakistan.

“Spoke to President @ashrafghani, PM Sheikh Hasina, PM Nawaz Sharif and President Sirisena. Conveyed my best wishes for the Cricket World Cup,” Modi tweeted early on Friday, after speaking to Sharif, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh, President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan and President Maithripala Sirisena of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka will take on New Zealand in the first match of Cricket World Cup at Christchurch on Saturday. India will play against Pakistan at Adelaide on Sunday.

“5 (five) Saarc Nations are playing and are excited about the World Cup. Am sure WC will celebrate sportsman spirit and will be a treat for sports lovers,” the prime minister posted on Twitter. “Cricket connects people in our region and promotes goodwill. Hope players from Saarc region play with passion and bring laurels to the region.”