Since the Mumbai attacks in which 164 people were killed and at least 308 were left wounded, India have refused to play bilateral matches against Pakistan. Indo-Pak relations were strained following the Mumbai attacks, especially after India declared that Pakistan-based militants were involved in the strikes.

For a cricket fan, it's really unfortunate that Pakistan and India — two of world cricket's greatest rivals — aren't meeting regularly on the field any more. Last March's World Cup semifinal in Mohali featuring Pakistan and India was a proof of the fact that there aren't many bigger rivalries in sport than the rivalry between the two neighboring nations. In many ways, the semifinal even overshadowed the World Cup final held a couple of days later between India and Sri Lanka.

It's an open secret that Pakistan are desperate to revive the bilateral series against India. The primary reason behind it is that such a series will generate around $50 million for the Pakistan Cricket Board. Television rights alone will fetch the Board around $40 million.

But the problem is that unlike Pakistan, India aren't really desperate to revive cricketing ties with their old rivals. It's true that the Indian cricket board (BCCI) also loses millions of dollars because of the unofficial freeze of cricketing ties with Pakistan. But unlike the PCB, BCCI has millions of dollars in its coffers and can easily absorb such losses.

Pakistani cricket officials believe that they took a goodwill initiative by agreeing to send their national team to play in the World Cup semifinal against India in Mohali. On the sidelines of the match, prime ministers of Pakistan and India had a very positive meeting.

"At that time it seemed that the revival of a Pakistan-India series was very much on the cards," said a PCB official who spoke to Arab News on the condition of anonymity.

"There were several positive indicators and we were confident that the Pakistan-India series will take place sooner than later," he added.

However, the killing of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Ladin in his Abbottabad hideout in May changed the scenario, according to the official.

"That incident turned out to be a real blow because everything regarding the Indo-Pak series was put on hold," said the official.

But PCB is now making efforts to revive the issue. According one Board official, the PCB is even ready to give up its right to host a bilateral series against India.

"Since Pakistan last toured India, its now our turn to host the series," said the official. "But there is a possibility that we will allow them (India) to host the next series on the condition that they come here to play in 2013," he said.

The Indians, meanwhile, seem unwilling to make any commitments.

Officially, you are told that the BCCI has no problems about reviving cricketing ties with Pakistan but it is awaiting a go-ahead from its government.

"It's not BCCI's call, we know that," said a PCB official. "That is why we will be closely monitoring talks between the two governments later this month," added the official referring to the Indo-Pak Foreign Ministerial talks in New Delhi on July 27.

Pakistan's newly-appointed Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar will meet her Indian counterpart S. M. Krishna. Their meeting will be preceded one taking place between the foreign secretaries of the two countries on July 26. Some of the key issues to be discussed during the moot include confidence-building measures and people-to-people contact.

"Cricket is one of the most effective tools to build confidence and enhance people-to-people contact between Pakistan and India," said an official.

There is optimism within Pakistan's cricket authorities that the Indo-Pak cricketing ties will revive soon. But at the moment, there aren't any concrete signs to back that optimism.

"As a matter of fact, there are no signs that India will agree to revive cricketing ties with Pakistan. Things can change but a lot will depend on whether the two governments are able to take the peace process forward," said a source.

As a cricket buff, one prays that they do.