Laloo promises India-Pakistan match soon

Former Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav, who was elected president of the state cricket association on Monday, promised to arrange a cricket match between India and Pakistan soon.

The Indian government has banned bilateral cricket matches between the two countries due to tension over the disputed region of Kashmir.

"The first thing I want is a cricket match between India and Pakistan in Patna," Laloo Prasad Yadav, president of the Bihar Cricket Association, told reporters.

"Sports has no barriers. By playing against Pakistan, there can only be goodwill between the countries," he said.

Yadav has been in and out of jail since 1997 for alleged involvement in what is known as the "fodder scam".

He was among those charged over allegations that 1.39 billion rupees ($29.77 million) of state money earmarked for animal welfare was embezzled between 1991 and 1996. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Yadav resigned as chief minister four years ago but was succeeded by his wife Rabri Devi.

A champion of the lower classes, Yadav said his only association with cricket was through 13-year-old son Tarun who was "always playing the game".

"I used to only play gulli-danda," Yadav said.

"I have been warning Tarun to obey me because I will be the one who will select cricketers from Bihar in future," he said.

Mail Cricket Editor