Reports: Bilateral ties between India-Pakistan might resume later in the year

The bilateral rivalry between arch-rivals India and Pakistan might resume later in the year if the Indian government gives a green signal to the Board of Control for Cricket in India to go ahead with the proposed series of 3 Tests, 5 ODI’s and 2 T20I’s. In a letter written to the Home Ministry, BCCI asked permission to play Pakistan to complete their commitments under the Future Tours and Programme (FTP) agreement which was laid down in 2014.

If everything goes according to plan then the upcoming series at Dubai later in the year will be the first bilateral series between the Asian Giants since 2012. Pakistan last toured India in late 2012 for a short 3 match ODI series which the visitors won by a 2-1 margin. The two teams have only met in the mega-events and their upcoming tie in the Champions Trophy in England will be another mouth-watering contest.

According to the ICC’s FTP, Pakistan was scheduled to host India in 2014 but an outrageous protest from the Shiv Sena halted the scheduled talks on the matter between the then BCCI President Shashank Manohar and PCB chief Shahryar Khan. The former BCCI President Anurag Thakur who was removed from his post recently had quashed the chances of bilateral ties between the two teams anytime sooner if the political turmoil between the two nations doesn’t relent.

According to reports from India Today, the BCCI had written to the government a month and a half back soliciting its permission to finalise the tour. It is a part of the routine that the BCCI has to seek an approval because if the government disallows then the board have to organise other teams to play in place of Pakistan.

Ever since the militant attack on the Sri Lankan team bus took place in March 2009, no team has toured Pakistan except Zimbabwe in 2015 and they have played all their home ties in UAE and Dubai. Recently many foreign players toured Pakistan for the final of the recently concluded Pakistan Super League (PSL) which was won by Peshawar Zalmi.