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Days after the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s request to the government for clearance on resumption of cricketing ties with Pakistan, the External Affairs Ministry said no decision has been taken on it.
MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, "No decision has been taken on the India-Pakistan cricket series".
Swarup is in Valletta (Malta) accompanying External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who is attending the 24th Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting.
BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur had on Wednesday said the board has approached the central government for clearance to play Pakistan in Sri Lanka in December.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has apparently got its government’s nod.
With only a month's window available after India finishes the ongoing Test Series against South Africa on December 7, the much-awaited series is likely to be confined to three ODIs and two T20 Internationals, instead of the originally-planned five ODIs, two Tests and as many T20 Internationals.
Sri Lanka emerged as hosts for the series between the arch-rivals after India refused to play in the UAE.
Proceedings on resumption of ties between the neighbours were fast-tracked once BCCI president and current ICC chairman Shashank Manohar met PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan and senior official Najam Sethi in the presence of ECB supremo and chairman of 'Pakistan Task Force' Giles Clarke, who is likely to make the series announcement later on Friday.
Image: Fans during India-Pakistan cricket match
Photograph: Getty Images