Long wait over, India to play Pakistan in December
New Delhi. Cricketing ties between Pakistan and India have resumed as Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) has announced that the Pakistan team will tour India in December this year for a short series, which consists three ODIs and two T20 games.
“We’ve invited the Pakistan team for a short series between December 26 and January 10. The modalities will be worked out shortly,” BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale said in a press release. BCCI vice president and IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla said Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata would host the ODI matches, while Bangalore and Ahmedabad would be the venues for the T20 games. “I have spoken to the home and external affairs ministries, and they are okay with the proposed series,” Shukla said.
He said it would be treated as a home series against Pakistan and there won’t be any revenue-sharing, something the Pakistan Cricket Board was insisting on. The last Indo-Pak series was played on Indian soil in 2007. Cricketing ties between the neighbours were snapped after the 26/11 attack in Mumbai in 2008. The teams have, however, met each other in the World Cup, Asia Cup and Champions Trophy.
However, security concerns will be of prime importance. One thing is sure – whichever city the two teams play in will not matter – one can be assured of full house in the stadium. Also the series is going to be a lucrative commercial venture with television broadcasting rights and other business ventures in the offing.
As per reports, the talks for resuming ties between old rivals had been taking place for the past three months.
However, PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf said that the board is yet to receive any official confirmation from their Indian counterpart.
“As of now we have not received any official confirmation,” he said.
He, however, expressed happiness over the media reports saying that it is a good omen for both the countries.
“If this is true, I think it is a good omen. The talks between us have always been on the line that cricketing ties should be resumed between India and Pakistan. India and Pakistan are great cricketing nation and they should resume playing with each other,” he said.
