KOLKATA: Pakistan wants to host the first bilateral Test tour by India in eight years in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in December, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan said on Sunday.

The tour, comprising three Tests, five One-day Internationals and two Twenty20 games is part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the two boards last year to play five series in the next eight years.

“We want to resume India-Pakistan series in the UAE,” Shaharyar told reporters after a meeting with Indian cricket chief Jagmohan Dalmiya on Sunday.

PCB chief willing to host India in the UAE in December

“This is the re-beginning of the revival of Indo-Pak cricket. The series will start in December as per schedule and it will comprise three Tests, five ODIs and two T20s. Preparations are in full swing. We have to overcome the final hurdle.”

The reluctance of the Indian government to clear bilateral cricket matches against Pakistan due to political tensions has meant the two nations have not contested a Test series since 2007.

But they continue to meet in multi-nation tournaments like the World Cup or the Champions Trophy.

The last time India played Pakistan in a bilateral series was in 2012-13 when Pakistan toured India for two T20s and a three-match ODI series. The T20 series was tied 1-1 while Pakistan won the ODI series 2-1.

Thanking his Indian counterpart for playing a pro-active role in trying to resume the most sought-after rivalry in world cricket, Shaharyar said his association with Dalmiya goes back a long way.

“I am really grateful to Dalmiya for hosting me here I am glad that we could start the process again. You may know as per the MOU there will be five series between the two countries in eight years,” he said.

“I am thankful to Dalmiya. I come here personally to convey my heartiest congratulations to Jagmohan Dalmiya for becoming the BCCI President.

“My relationship with Dalmiya goes back a long way when he was the BCCI chief and I was PCB chief and we had hosted the 2004 Indo-Pak series. All this was made possible due to the effort of Dalmiya.”

Dalmiya said he was hopeful the series will go ahead — provided the government gave the green signal.

“We are very hopeful of reviving the series,” he said. “But a few things need to be sorted out. Without the support of the federal home ministry and the government, we can’t go forward.”

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said in a statement that it was ‘desirable to recommence cricket contact’ with Pakistan.

“After proactive discussions, since there are certain matters that need to be addressed and considered, it was decided to take appropriate steps,” the statement said. “The two boards would be in regular touch and review the situation.”

Shaharyar said that an India-Pakistan contest is bigger than the Ashes. “Let me tell you the India-Pak series is more important than any series in world cricket ... It is even more important than the Ashes,” he said.

“During the India-Pakistan World Cup clash in Adelaide, the tickets were sold out within 20 minutes, such is the craze of this series,” he added. Shaharyar also informed that even Bangladesh is keen to play host to an Indo-Pak tie.

“I recently came from Bangladesh and BCB officials also offered me to host the series there. They have also put forward their interest to hold an Indo-Pak tie.”

No Test-playing team has toured Pakistan since militants attacked the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in March 2009, leaving eight people dead and seven visiting players injured but Zimbabwe are scheduled to tour the country for a short series of three one-dayers and two T20 matches in Lahore later this month.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2015

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