Pakistan to tour India in November

Karachi: Pakistan will tour India in November this year to play three Tests, five one-day internationals and a one-day charity game.

"The Indians have sent us a proposed itinerary and we are studying it but the tour will be an hectic one as India have to tour Australia from mid-December," Pakistan Cricket Board, Director, Cricket Operations, Saleem Altaf told PTI.

The tour to India was confirmed after Pakistan and Australia agreed to play a series in Pakistan from March 9, 2008. He said the PCB had this time conveyed to BCCI to reduce the amount of travelling which was a major logistical hassle for them in 2005.

"We will sort out everything soon and hopefully tihs time the travelling distances would not be like last time," said Altaf, who was the Pakistan team manager on the 2005 tour. Altaf said Pakistan and India would also be holding talks during the next ICC meeting in May in which they would finalise the programme for the off-shore matches.

"We have a verbal agreement with the Indian board to play them in minimum 12 or 15 one-dayers at off shore venues over the next five years. We want to move forward on that." He said Pakistan would tour India from November 2, immediately after Australia completed a one-day series of seven matches in October.

Altaf said the Australians would tour Pakistan from March 9, 2008 after which the Asia Cup will be held from April 24 in which India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh would also participate. Pakistan would also host South Africa from September 25 this year and Zimbabwe for three one-dayers in January, 2008.