Karachi, May 26 (ANI): Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president and IPL chief Rajiv Shukla has said the invitation sent to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Zaka Ashraf to watch the IPL final in India is an attempt to remove the widespread 'misconception' that India is against Pakistan.

The BCCI, which approved Pakistan's entry in this year's Champions League, invited Ashraf to watch the final, over a year after Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was invited by his Indian counterpart to watch the 2011 World Cup semi-final between the archrivals, reports The Express Tribune.

The invitation is a goodwill gesture from the BCCI telling the world that we're not against Pakistan or trying to sideline the PCB, the paper quoted Shukla, as saying.

We've also appointed umpires, commentators and coaches from Pakistan in the IPL which shows exactly that. Apart from that, officials from both boards are in constant touch and we share a healthy relationship, he added.

Meanwhile, the IPL invitation has left Ashraf excited and hopeful of a revival of bilateral series, one of his main targets since taking over from Ijaz Butt last year, the paper stated. (ANI)