The cricketing ice between India and Pakistan has finally broken. The stage is now set for a bilateral series, first in five years, between the traditional rivals. A short series of three ODIs and two Twenty20 internationals will be held in December-January.
DNA reported in its edition dated May 30 that moves are afoot to sandwich a series between Tests and One-day matches against England. The three ODIs will be held in New Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai with Ahmedabad and Bangalore getting to host the two Twenty20 fixtures.
The decision to host Pakistan was taken by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) at its working committee meeting in New Delhi on Monday. The board managers rejected a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) offer to play at a neutral venue and instead decided to host the neighbours.
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As it turns out, England team which will be here for a full-fledged Test and ODI series, will leave home after the Tests for a short Christmas break on December 22 and are not scheduled to play an ODI till January 11, 2013. The 20-day gap between the matches has now been utilised for the Pakistan series.
The BCCI decision comes close on the heels of a recent meeting between the foreign secretaries of the two countries where there were discussions with regard to resumption of bilateral cricket. India and Pakistan have not played in bilateral match since Pakistan's tour of India in 2007.
The terror attacks in Mumbai brought about a complete halt in the cricketing exchange between the countries.
"We've been talking to the PCB for some time. India-Pakistan series is an iconic series and we're happy that the people of the two countries will get to see the matches again," BCCI president
N Srinivasan told DNA. "There is a lot of enthusiasm on either side of the border."
The BCCI will now have to obtain a formal clearance from the government of India but that looks a mere formality. However, the board insiders say the Monday's decision had nothing to do with the recent meeting and the government did not have a role. "This is a BCCI initiative," said the insider.
"This is an in-principle decision of BCCI and PCB. There remain security concerns. Both boards have to indicate the dates and locations for clearances, including security issues," an official in the ministry of external affairs was quoted as saying.
The BCCI decision is in sync with an earlier decision to invite a Pakistan team (Sialkot Stallions) for the Champions League Twenty20. In other decisions, the board decided to send an A team to New Zealand, approved changes to domestic cricket and granted amnesty to Kiran More. Agency: DNA
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