Pakistan prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani today downplayed his country's reaction to the non-inclusion of its cricketers in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and said with time, things will be alright.
He also noted that cricket has been a "greater diplomacy" even in past.
"I think that is the mood of Parliament and the public and we have to follow their point of view as well. But I think with time things would be alright," Gilani told CNN-IBN in an interview.
He was asked if Pakistan overreacted on the issue by cancelling official trips to the country.
No Pakistani player was bought by the eight IPL teams during a recent auction for its third edition despite Pakistan being the reigning world champions in the Twenty20 format of cricket, triggering a strong reaction from Pakistan government which saw it as a snub and called off official visits to India.
On the visit of the Pakistan hockey team to India for the World Cup, Gilani remained non-committal saying, "I think we
are considering that, but I cannot comment at the moment."
