Karachi:Pakistan`s banned batsman,Muhammad Yousuf is very Disappointed after India cancelled its Pakistan tour after the Mumbai terror attacks, Yousuf, who has been banned after joining the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL), said nothing really can match the excitement and euphoria that surround an Indo-Pak contest.He said that Sports and politics should be kept apart and cricket would be poorer without Indo-Pak contests."I just think both countries need to keep sports and politics apart. I would hope they would soon start working on resuming sporting ties and allowing bilateral cricket matches, because the cricket world needs to have Indo-Pak contests," Yousuf said.Yousuf also refused to buy the argument that an Indo-Australian series has now replaced an Indo-Pak contest as the most intense cricketing battle."Tell me was there a bigger series then when India toured Pakistan in 2004? Cricket does not get bigger than that," he argued.
Noting India's recent string of extraordinary performances, Yousuf said as a player, he saw playing India at present as a big challenge. "Playing India has always been a high point for me," said the right-hander.Yousuf, however, was happy that Sri Lanka has finally agreed to come and play a full series here."It will be a close contest against them and Pakistan should win as it has a very good team with good performers. But negating the wicket taking abilities of Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis will be the key to the outcome of the series," Yousuf said.
