The Pakistan Cricket Board on Saturday said India would arrive on its second tour of Pakistan in three years in the first week of January next year and would finish the bilateral series by February 15.
“I am not sure exactly on which date India would arrive but it is likely to be in the first week on January. However, I am certain that the series would end on February 15 and the six-nation Asia Cup would begin from February 18,” PCB’s Director (Cricket Operations) Saleem Altaf said from Lahore.
India would play three Tests and five one-day internationals. They are likely to arrive less than two weeks after England would have completed their first tour of Pakistan since 2000.
Altaf presumed that PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan would be proceeding to Kuala Lumpur this month for the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting with a tentative itinerary of India’s tour of Pakistan.
"The finalisation of any tour itinerary is an ongoing process and there is a strong possibility that PCB chairman would be carrying an interim itinerary to Kuala Lumpur where he would definitely meet Indian officials.
“But while saying this, I am not saying that the tour itinerary has been finalised or would be finalised in Kuala Lumpur. Nevertheless, we should remember that it’s the prerogative of the host country to propose the dates and venues of the series,” Altaf said.
India last year made a flying visit to Karachi and Peshawar because of security reasons and in a tit-for-tat policy, Pakistan made a short stay in Ahmedabad for the fourth one-day international.
Am I the only one who thinks that there is just too much India-Pakistan cricket, all of a sudden? Thori thand karo payee. Whats the hurry? One good long series every 2-3 years should be fine. Whats this every-year stuff? Gets boring and drab.
Well PCB and BCCI are trying to arrange the series after every 2 years from 2006 onwards.Heard that india probably will play 2 test and 3 ODI's in jan-feb 2006 since they will also be competing in Asia cup in feb 06.
I agree it'll be better to have a 5 test series every 2 years rather than 2 or 3 test series every year.Just like the Ashes.But I think the boards want to make as much hay while the sun shines as they can.Afterall it doesn't take much to change the political climate between the two countries.Kya pata,the next thing you know,we won't be playing for the next 15 years(god forbid of course).
I agree, they are trying to extract every single drop of the milk when its available as you never know if the situation goes wrong 2 years later and then no more Pak-Ind cricket for another 5-10 years… kal kis ne dekha hay, aaj khel lo jitna khelna hai.
