In Pics: Times When Manmohan Singh Used Cricket Diplomacy To Ease India-Pakistan Relations

Former Prime Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh breathed his last on Thursday, December 26, 2024. He was 92. He is survived by his wife Gurcharan Singh and three daughters. [Image: PTI]

The former Prime Minister was often seen on cricket fields alongside dignitaries from other nations. He leveraged cricket as a soft tool to initiate informal communication, particularly between India and Pakistan. [Image: PIB]

After becoming the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh was not only recognised for his profound economic expertise but also for his unique approach to diplomacy. [Image: archivepmo.nic.in]

In this picture, the then Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh, and the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Yousuf Raza Gilani, are seen interacting with the Pakistani cricket team during the Indo-Pak World Cup semi-final at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali on March 30, 2011. [Image: archivepmo.nic.in]

A file photo from April 17, 2005, shows Pakistan's then President Pervez Musharraf with India's then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during an India-Pakistan cricket match in New Delhi. [Image: PTI]

This image captures a moment from the 2011 India-Pakistan semifinal, where India, as co-host of the World Cup, ultimately lifted the trophy. The photograph features former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, his wife Gursharan Kaur, Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Sonia Gandhi, and then-President Pratibha Patil watching the intense Indo-Pak World Cup semi-final at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali on March 30, 2011. [Image: archivepmo.nic.in]

Dr Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India at that time, met with the Indian Twenty-Twenty Cricket Team on October 30, 2007, in New Delhi, to congratulate them on their T20 World Cup win. His wife, Gursharan Kaur, and the Union Minister for Panchayati Raj, Youth Affairs & Sports, Mani Shankar Aiyar, were also present during the meeting. This event was a significant moment, as the Indian team had just won the inaugural T20 World Cup, defeating Pakistan in the final. [Image: PIB]