India and Pakistan to resume rivalry on December 25

Updated November 02, 2012 10:01:19

India and Pakistan will resume bilateral cricket ties with a Twenty20 international in Bangalore on Christmas Day.

The two teams will play a second T20 match in Ahmedabad before taking part in three one-day internationals in Chennai, Kolkata and Delhi, the Indian cricket board said in a statement.

Bilateral cricket between the nuclear-armed neighbours were suspended after the 2008 Mumbai attacks in which 166 people were killed. India blame Pakistan-based militants for the incident.

India and Pakistan have fought three wars in the past 65 years and already fragile relations were further strained since the carnage when gunmen attacked two upmarket hotels, a busy railway terminal and a cafe in Mumbai.

The last series between the two sides was Pakistan's tour of India in 2007 although Pakistan travelled to India to play the 50 overs World Cup semi-final in Mohali last year.
Tour itinerary:

December 25 - 1st Twenty20 International in Bangalore

December 27 - 2nd Twenty20 International in Ahmedabad

December 30 - 1st One-day International in Chennai

January 3 - 2nd One-Day International in Kolkata

January 6 - 3rd One Day International in Delhi

Reuters

Tags: sport, cricket, india, pakistan

First posted November 02, 2012 08:26:38

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India and Pakistan to resume rivalry

Updated July 17, 2012 08:35:07

Indian cricket chiefs have invited Pakistan for a series later this year, the first in five years between the neighbours.

If approved by the two governments, the series would likely be three one-day internationals between December and January.

"It was decided to resume cricketing ties with Pakistan by inviting the Pakistan cricket team for a short series in December 2012-January 2013," the Indian cricket board, the BCCI, said in a statement.

"The modalities will be worked out shortly."

The rivals have not played a series since Pakistan's tour of India in 2007 after cricket ties were snapped following the 2008 terror attacks on Mumbai, which were carried out by militants from Pakistan.

The games will be in New Delhi, Mohali and the Himalayan hilltown of Dharamshala, between December 23 and January 10, news reports said.

They will be sandwiched between England's short tour of India.

Cricket ties have been the subject of discussions between the governments of both nuclear-armed countries, who have been holding regular meetings in a bid to improve ties and eventually thrash out a peace agreement.

The countries have fought three wars since independence in 1947.

The Pakistan Cricket Board swiftly welcomed the proposed series, which will now require approval from the Indian foreign affairs and home ministry.

PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf told local television channels that Pakistan was still waiting for a formal invitation, but said "it seems it will surely be held later this year".

Since 2007 the Indian and Pakistani cricket teams have only met in international tournaments.

They clashed in the semi-final of the World Cup last year and also during the Asia Cup in Bangladesh in March.

AFP

Tags: sport, cricket, india, pakistan

First posted July 16, 2012 21:36:16

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