After a gap of nearly 15 years the Indian cricket team will undertake a full-fledged tour of Pakistan in March next year, details of which are being worked out, following the government's nod for resumption of bilateral sporting ties between the traditional rivals.
Making the announcement, in Kolkata on Sunday, Board of Control for Cricket in India president Jagmohan Dalmiya said the team will visit Pakistan after a fortnight's rest following their return form the hectic tour of Austraila in mid-February.
The series will include Test matches and a number of one-dayers. It will be followed by the Asia Cup tournament in Pakistan, where both teams will participate along with four others, he said.
The BCCI chief, who returned from Barbados after attending a crucial meeting of International Cricket Council, said he had initial discussion with Pakistan Cricket Board chief General Tauqir Zia and the "details of itineraries of India's tour to Pakistan as well as the Asia Cup are being worked out".
India last toured Pakistan in 1989, when Sachin Tendulkar made his debut.
Though Pakistan visited India in early 1999 ties between the countries were snapped immediately after the Kargil war in mid-1999. The cricket teams of the two countries have not played on each other's soil for more than four years.
Dalmiya said ICC Development International Ltd (IDI), the business arm of ICC, has been informed about the Indian government's clearance of bilateral tours between India and Pakistan.
The Indian government had earlier allowed the country's participation in junior tournaments featuring Pakistan and the Indian Under-19 team just returned from Pakistan after emerging champions in the Asian under-19 tournament held there.
Before that the two teams had played in an Asian Emerging teams' tournament in Sri Lanka. Next month the Pakistan 'A' team will be visiting India to take part in a tournament being played among 'A' teams of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Dalmiya said.
