The Pakistan board has announced that the Indian tour, the second time in three years, would start in the first week of January next year. The starting date of the series, which will comprise three Tests and five one-dayers, wasn't yet finalised but it is scheduled to finish on 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," Saleem Altaf, PCB's director of cricket operations, was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India. "However, I am certain that the series would end on February 15 and the six-nation Asia Cup would begin from February 18."
Altaf also hinted that Shaharyar Khan, the PCB chairman, could possibly discuss the itinerary of the tour during the Asian Cricket Council's meeting at Kuala Lumpur later this month. "The finalisation of any tour itinerary is an ongoing process," he said, "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."
Unlike the earlier tour last year, where India refused to play Tests in Karachi and Peshawar owing to security reasons, Altaf said that there might be a proviso this time around. "We should remember," he said, "that it's the prerogative of the host country to propose the dates and venues of the series." Pakistan had also expressed their reservation about playing a Test at Ahmedabad during the recently concluded series and ended up playing a ODI there instead.
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