India Okays cricket series with Pakistan

Indian media reported on Tuesday that Pakistan may tour India in December. The likely venues for the matches are Ahmedabad, Chennai, Bangalore, New Delhi and Kolkata. Bilateral cricketing ties were snapped following the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008, though the two countries have played each other in the World Cup, Champions Trophy and Asia Cup. It is Pakistan s turn to host a bilateral series between the two. But there has been no international cricket in the country between Full Members since the March 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka team bus and it is understood that India are not keen to play at a neutral venue, as has been the case with all Pakistan s home series since the attack. The decision was taken by the BCCI at its working committee meeting few months back. Rajiv Shukla, a senior BCCI official had said the plan was to hold the three ODIs in Chennai, Delhi and Kolkata, and the Twenty20 matches in Ahmedabad and Bangalore. The decision comes after prolonged, high-level consultations between officials of the two boards and, latterly, of the two governments.