Ind, Pak want tour deferred by a few days

Both India and Pakistan are in favour of deferring by a few days the historic Test series between the two countries, which may now begin after the first week of March.

While the Board of Control for Cricket in India wants to postpone the tour, scheduled to begin on March 1, by a week to give the team a longer rest period after the tough trip Down Under, its Pakistani counterpart is keen to delay it on account of Muharram.

BCCI chief Jagmohan Dalmiya has already sent a letter containing the request to the Pakistan Cricket Board.

The PCB has also conveyed to BCCI "to send its team after Muharram" during which Pakistan authorities would be tied up with security arrangements.

"The BCCI was willing to send its team on March one but we have requested them to delay their arrival by a few more days because of Ashura (Muharram) which is expected to fall on March 2 and 3," PCB chief executive Rameez Raja said in a statement.

Although the final date for India's departure was yet to be worked out, the BCCI has agreed to PCB's proposal of playing the three-Test series first followed by the five one-day internationals.

The BCCI earlier wanted to first play the five one day internationals and then the Tests.

"This problem has been sorted out. We are prepared to play the Tests first," BCCI sources added.

"We are glad that BCCI has accepted our proposal that Tests should take preference over one-dayers. PCB stance on scheduling Test matches before the one-day international was based on cricketing ground and weather conditions," Raja said.

Dalmiya had earlier announced that the tour, the first to Pakistan by the senior Indian team in 14 years, would begin from March 1 and continue till the middle of April.

"We decided to request the PCB to push back the series by a week, as it would have been very taxing for our players," the sources said.

The ongoing tri-series limited over tournament in Australia is set to continue till early February, with the third final scheduled for February 10.

"That means if India play the third final, they will hardly get 17-18 days' time to spend with their family and relax," they said.

India had last undertaken a full tour of Pakistan in 1989 under the captaincy of K Srikkanth while the Pakistan team visited India in 1999 for playing three Test matches.