The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the International Cricket Board (ICB) have offered to hold a test series between the Pakistani and Indian cricket teams in a neutral location. It is expected that a test series will be arranged between the two countries’ teams in England in 2011, preceding which there may be a one-day series in the summer of 2010.

The Indian cricket team was expected to visit Pakistan for a one-day series in 2008-9 but the infamous Lahore attack on the Sri Lankan team created security concerns and the visit had to be cancelled. Since then, cricket fans around the world, and especially in the Indo-Pak subcontinent, are dying to watch the two countries in sporting action against each other. In England, a series between the countries can generate great interest and revenue. So the officials of ICC and ECB are willing to arrange for the two traditional rivals to get on the potentially thrilling event after a considerable time. The final decision, however, rests with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI).

Meanwhile, Pakistan and New Zealand are expected to play a series in Dubai (UAE) next month and the chairman of the PCB, Ijaz Butt, is said to be getting ready to leave for Dubai next week to decide on the arrangements and other details. It is said that the PCB is reluctant to play another series at the same venue as the previous one with Australia, in which the Pakistani team was crushed by the Aussies. The PCB also expects the security arrangements to be made by Dubai authorities.