Pakistan says it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the BCCI to play six bilateral series between 2015 and 2023. Four of those series will be hosted by Pakistan and the six tours - pending a legal agreement - will include up to 14 Tests, 30 ODIs and 12 T20s.
"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," a top PCB official told ESPNcricinfo. "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."
There was no confirmation of this from the BCCI.
The move follows Pakistan's conditional support for the ICC revamp, which hinged on the promise of six series against India, including a 'home' series in the Gulf as part of an upcoming, reworked eight-year FTP cycle from 2015 to 2023. The change in the PCB's stance took place on the condition that Pakistan would be involved in bilateral series against all Full Members, including India. The first of these bilateral series could take place in the UAE in the winter of 2015.
India and Pakistan have not played a full series since the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, which India blamed on militants based across the border. However, Pakistan visited India for a short limited-over series in December 2012, which was regarded as a stepping stone in reviving cricketing ties between both countries.
The teams last played a full series in 2007, in India. However, despite the latest developments, given the sensitive relationship between the governments of the two countries, a fresh government NOC will be required before each series. India has just completed voting in its general elections with the results out on May 16; the BCCI is unlikely to proceed without the new government's green signal.
"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," a top PCB official told ESPNcricinfo. "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."
There was no confirmation of this from the BCCI.
The move follows Pakistan's conditional support for the ICC revamp, which hinged on the promise of six series against India, including a 'home' series in the Gulf as part of an upcoming, reworked eight-year FTP cycle from 2015 to 2023. The change in the PCB's stance took place on the condition that Pakistan would be involved in bilateral series against all Full Members, including India. The first of these bilateral series could take place in the UAE in the winter of 2015.
India and Pakistan have not played a full series since the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, which India blamed on militants based across the border. However, Pakistan visited India for a short limited-over series in December 2012, which was regarded as a stepping stone in reviving cricketing ties between both countries.
The teams last played a full series in 2007, in India. However, despite the latest developments, given the sensitive relationship between the governments of the two countries, a fresh government NOC will be required before each series. India has just completed voting in its general elections with the results out on May 16; the BCCI is unlikely to proceed without the new government's green signal.
