Afro-Asia Cup to be held in June

Chennai and Bangalore will host the second edition of the Afro-Asia Cup in the second week of June, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced. The tournament is part of a gruelling schedule that awaits the Indians with non-stop action till the summer of 2008.

With the World Cup ending towards the close of April, India head to Bangladesh for a short tour of two Tests and three one-dayers, followed by a full-length tour of England between July 7 and September 8. The tour includes three Tests, seven ODIs and a one-off ODI against Scotland. The Afro-Asia Cup will be held between the two tours.

There will be the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa and home Tests will finally return after a gap of nearly 17 months when India host Pakistan for a series of three Tests and five one-dayers. There won't still be any respite as India head to Australia in November, followed by another home series.

"We will go to Australia for a four-Test series and take part in a one-day tri-series with Sri Lanka as the third team," said Niranjan Shah, the BCCI secretary. "We will return on March 7. "Then we are hosting a three-Test series against South Africa," Shah said. Later, the team departs for Pakistan for the Asia Cup.