The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have formally invited Pakistan to play a Test series in 2010 and negotiations will be held soon, a senior official of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Thursday.
Saleem Altaf, director-general of the board, said they had received a formal proposal from the ECB to play three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match on the bilateral tour.
"We will be holding negotiations soon with the ECB to sort out financial arrangements but obviously we are very keen to go ahead with the series," Altaf said.
Pakistan, for the first time since 1970, have gone without playing a Test all year after the postponement of Australia's Test tour in April and the West Indies' withdrawal from a proposed two-Test series.
Altaf said Pakistan would consider playing a match on the 2010 tour to compensate for the losses suffered by the ECB because of the early end to the disputed Oval Test in 2006.
England have claimed compensation of 800,000 pounds (US $1.28 million) from the PCB for lost revenues in the Test that ended on the fourth day at tea after captain Inzamam-ul-Haq failed to lead his team out in time.
The Pakistan team were protesting about a decision by umpires Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove to penalise them for ball tampering.
The umpires awarded the Test as a forfeited win to England.
"We have an agreement with the ECB to play a Twenty20 match on our scheduled tour to England in 2012, proceeds of which would compensate for the losses of the Oval Test," Altaf said.
"But if the ECB want we can do the same in the Twenty20 match on the 2010 tour."
The International Cricket Council (ICC) revoked the forfeited Test result in July this year, changing it to a draw, but the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the custodian of the sport's laws, wants the original result reinstated.
