Reports: India and Pakistan to revive cricketing ties

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (R) shakes hands with Pakistan’s Mohammad Hafeez (L)

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has agreed to play six-series in a span of 8 years starting from 2015. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the two boards with Pakistan to host 4 of the 6 series to take place between 2015 and 2023. 14 Tests, 30 ODIs and 12 T20s are expected to be played over the course of the 8 years.

ESPNcricinfo quoted a top PCB official as saying, “We are working on chalking out a detailed FTP for eight years but meanwhile I can confirm that the MoU has been signed with India, according to which we will be playing six series. They will be hosting us twice while Pakistan will host them four times as a part of home series and further modalities will be confirmed later on.”

The move was facilitated after the PCB agreed to conditionally support the ICC revamp, which was proposed by the BCCI, to give greater powers to the Big 3 – the cricket boards from India, Australia and England.

While first disagreeing with the proposal, Pakistan later gave its consent to it after realising being at loggerheads with powerful boards can hamper the progress of cricket in the country, which is already suspended from hosting international matches as a result of threats from terrorists.

Both the countries have not played a full-fledged tour against each other since 2007. A short limited-overs series was held between the two sides in 2012 in India, and it was expected to revive the cricketing relations between the two countries after the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, where Pakistan involvement was suspected.