BCCI proposes India-Pakistan series

Undeterred by the Indian government's repeated snubs, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has proposed a full series against Pakistan early next year. According to a report in The Indian Express, the series is being planned for February-March 2004, immediately after the Indian tour of Australia, and will include three Tests and five one-day internationals.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has suggested a neutral venue for the series, on the condition that Pakistan are considered notional hosts and given the commercial rights for the series. Pakistan have twice played home series on neutral grounds - against West Indies in Sharjah, and against Australia in Colombo and Sharjah. Apart from those two places, Tangiers and Abu Dhabi have been mentioned as possible alternatives for the Indian tour.

If the series does take place, it will be a huge blessing for the cash-strapped PCB. According to estimates, the total revenues from the series could be around US$10million.

The report also stated that the Indian board had proposed a two-match ODI series - with one match to be held in each country - in late September or early October this year, but SK Nair, the BCCI secretary, ruled out that possibility, saying that the Indian team had no free dates before February 2004.