Keep politics out of cricket, Imran tells India

KARACHI, AUGUST 10: Pakistan legend Imran Khan on Thursday implored India to keep politics out of cricket and go ahead with its planned tour of Pakistan later this year. "Pakistanis always support Pakistan-India matches and it would be unfair if politics starts dominating team tours," Imran, a former captain turned politician, said.

"Despite all the tension and threats from Indian fundamentalists, Pakistan went to India in 1999 and played Test matches and one-day internationals. It would be sad if they refused to tour Pakistan. "I always believe in more Pakistan-India series as people in the sub-continent are crazy about the game and they do not want to see cricket destroyed because of politics."

There has been no immediate response from the Pakistan Cricket Board, which is running trial matches in this southern port city this week to select a team for Toronto. Indian Sports Minister Sukhdev Dhindsa said India had pulled out of the series because Pakistan encouraged "killings of innocent people in Kashmir and elsewhere."

A Muslim separatist group fighting Indian rule in Kashmir claimed responsibility for a grenade and landmine attack Thursday which killed at least nine Indian troops. Islamabad’s denies any involvement in the killings, the latest in a series of deadly attacks following an abortive peace initiative.