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Indo-Pak tour hinges on SAARC outcome

The Indian and Pakistani cricket boards are all set to resume the Test series between the two nations, but the final stamp will be put on the proposal only after the SAARC summit in Colombo in end-July.

BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele said in Bombay on Friday that the Test and one-day programme for Pakistan's tour here early next year is ready, but will depend on the outcome of the talks between Indian Prime Minister A B Vajpayee and his Pak counterpart, Nawaz Sharief in Colombo.

The relations between the two neighbours had deteriorated alarmingly in the aftermath of nuclear tests by both nations, and the respective boards decided to wait for the situation to come to a more normal keel.

If the talks at SAARC are productive, then the rest of the formalities will be exedited in a hurry, Lele said.

Cricket relations between India and Pakistan, interestingly, have been flourishing, albeit on alien soil. The two countries, in fact, recently agreed to a Sharjah type one day tournament between the two countries, an annual affair to be held each April.

However, it is 12 years since the two teams last played a Test match.

At the start of this year, both boards settled down to talks, and Pakistan agreed to tour. Then Pokhran happened, and it all went back on ice.

Pakistan last visited India in 1986-'87, winning both the Test and one-day series. India made a return trip a year later, and help Pak to a draw.

Meanwhile, the managers of India's tour to Dhaka for the ICC Trophy, to Toronto for the Sahara series, Kuala Lumpur for the Commonwealth Games and to New Zealand for a full series will be selected during the BCCI working committee meeting in Delhi on August 22 and 23, Lele said.

Interestingly, anticipating the calling off of the Pakistan tour, India's cricket board has already entered into preliminary negotiations with the Sri Lankan board, for a home and away series.