Afridi sees bright future for Pakistan

MOHALI, Mar 31 (AFP): Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said the performance of his side's younger players had been among the positives of a World Cup campaign that ended with a 29-run semi-final loss to India. And he said he hoped Wednesday's match, watched by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani, would be the catalyst for more games on Indian soil. Pakistan have been unable to play matches at home since an armed attack on Sri Lanka's team bus in Lahore in 2009. Now Afridi wants to see the restoration of normal cricket ties with India as part of his country's sporting rehabilitation. "We want to play in India, we have shown them our hospitality in the past, I hope they do so too," the all-rounder said. Pakistan saw 25-year-old left-arm quick Wahab Riaz take a career-best five for 46 as India were held to 260 for nine in the semi-final. But the Pakistan innings struggled to get going in the face of accurate Indian bowling.