Ruing a weak West Indian challenge which saw the last Test match of Sachin Tendulkar's farewell series "end too soon", Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said she was disappointed at having missed a chance to see the batting legend in action for the last time in international cricket.
"I am just sorry that the West Indians were not good enough to continue the match on Saturday, otherwise I would have had the opportunity to see Sachin Tendulkar in play. However, the game ended too soon," Bishop said.
She was speaking as the chief guest at an event organised by NGO Asha in the slums of Dr Ambedkar Basti in RK Puram.
The five-day Test at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai ended on the Day III as India decisively trounced the West Indians.
Addressing the gathering, Bishop noted that the two countries had a lot in common, one of which was cricket.
"We have other things in common apart from cricket, like deep respect for individuals and the dignity of every individual. We are committed to democracy and, like India, we hold regular elections where people have their say in choosing people to govern their country," Bishop said.
"We have deep commitment to human rights and that's why I am here in India to share experiences and demonstrate our commitment to the ongoing process of friendship between India and Australia," she added.
Stating that 4,50,000 Australians were of Indian origin, Bishop pointed out that India was the second largest source of immigration for Australia.
Referring to the NGO and the efforts taken by it to promote education amongst the weaker sections, especially women, Bishop said the model could be used in other parts of the world.
"It is often said that if you educate a man, you educate one person, but if you educate a woman, you educate an entire family, indeed a village," Bishop said.
