Cross-border Rivalry

Cricket is certainly one of the major, if the not the major, common point of interest between the common people of India and Pakistan. Cricketing ties involving the two countries always generate great enthusiasm among the Indians and the Pakistanis all the world over. But it will be asking for too much to expect the game to bridge all the diplomatic gaps between the two countries. As long as the Kashmir issue remains restricted within the narrow confinements of a mere 'prestige' issue for both the countries, the undercurrent of scepticism in Indo-Pak relations is never going to die out, and in spite of the ''Main Hoon Naa''s and ''Veer-Zaara''s, the ''Friendship Series'' and ''Aman Setu'', the neighbours will remain arch-rivals.