The Board of Control for Cricket in India has formally requested the government to resume bilateral cricketing ties with Pakistan.

The BCCI while placing the request before the government said by not playing Pakistan India would be totally isolated in world cricket.

The board also urged Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to use his 'good offices' to favourably consider the BCCI's request appeal, as playing cricket with Pakistan was a 'major policy decision'.

The BCCI's letter was handed over to Vajpayee by board official and Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Rajiv Shukla a couple of days ago and was under consideration, sources said.

The BCCI has hailed Vajpayee's 'positive' statement in Parliament on the issue of resuming cricketing ties with Pakistan. Board sources said the BCCI sees the statement as a 'strong pointer' towards a change in stance by the government, which could facilitate the participation of the two traditional rivals in the forthcoming Asia Cup.

The board has proposed to resume bilateral tours in neutral venues in the initial stages but said it was willing to abide by the government policy, the sources said.

The board has also argued that since the government has allowed sporting ties to continue in other disciplines, the International Cricket Council has found the decision not to play cricket with Pakistan as 'rather unfair'.

The letter, signed by Board president Jagmohan Dalmiya, also said that snapping of cricketing ties has resulted 'in a chink in the armour' of the Asian solidarity. "We, at BCCI, therefore look forward to your kind support to resume the bilateral tours between India and Pakistan," the letter said. "The entire scenario has also been brought to the notice of the sports ministry by the BCCI from time to time. It is, however, felt that your kind intervention may be necessary because it is a major policy decision."

"The BCCI fully appreciated and honoured the government's stand in this respect. But the BCCI being a member of the world cricket parent body, the ICC, it is now in a rather embarrassing position," the letter said.

It said the ICC decides on World Champion in Test cricket not through any tournament, but through points earned in the Test series played among all the ten countries. Each country is supposed to play four series against each other in a ten-year period. "If India does not play Pakistan, the equilibrium of world cricket will be severely affected because the world
championship cannot be decided. India may be totally isolated in the world cricket scenario."

"Sir, we have always abided by the government's policy and we would continue to do so in future. The sole purpose of our appeal is to ensure that the real winner is the glorious game of cricket," the letter said.