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After 12 years, Pakistan to play Tests in India

The Pakistan Cricket Board has agreed to play a three-Test series in India.

Pakistan will start its tour of India on January 16, 1999, Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Jaywant Lele announced on Monday.

It will be Pakistan's first visit in 12 years. The last time Pakistan toured this country to play a Test series, Sunil Gavaskar was a member of the Indian side. Gavaskar, in fact, played his last Test against Pakistan at Bangalore, scoring a fighting 96. India last visited Pakistan for a Test series in 1989, under K Srikkanth's captaincy.

Lele said the BCCI and PCB felt that if India and Pakistan could play hockey without hassles, then any further delay in restarting a cricket Test series would be detrimental to the development of the game in Asia.

The series next January will be confined to Tests; both Boards feel that both countries already play enough one-day games against each other, in Sharjah and Toronto, and lately in Dhaka.

The BCCI programme and fixtures committee also finalised the development tour scheme of playing one-day internationals with Bangladesh and Kenya. Each team will play two games against each other, culminating in a final at Calcutta.

The day-night fixtures will start on May 11, with a Bangladesh and Kenya match, followed by India taking on Bangladesh on May 13. India will play Kenya on May 16. The same pattern of matches will follow on May 18, 20, and 22. The venues, except for the finals, have not been confirmed yet, Lele said.

The team for next month's Sharjah tournament, featuring India, Australia and New Zealand, will be selected on April 7 at Kanpur during the one-day match.

India will play Pakistan in the third Sahara Cup in Toronto on September 12, 13, 16, 19 and 20. On September 21, the Indians will fly to Zimbabwe to play three internationals, a practice match and a solitary Test beginning October 8 at Harare.

Lele said international commitments meant that India will be absent at the inaugural cricket competition in the Commonwealth Games at Kuala Lumpur in September. The committee also approved India's tour to New Zealand where it is scheduled to play three Tests and three one-day internationals from December 4.

UNI