Finally, PCB gives up hopes on India-Pakistan cricket series

- 'If not this year, we can do something in 2016 but it will all depend on the Indian board telling us when they are ready to play.'

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan finally gave up hope of organising the proposed India-Pakistan cricket series in the near future but has set sights for next year for the resumption of bilateral cricketing ties between the two countries.

Khan said in Lahore on Wednesday that he has finally given up hope of organising the bilateral series against India in either the United Arab Emirates or Sri Lanka in December-January.

"It is impossible to hold the series now as valuable time has gone. But we will now wait and see when the Indian Board (Board of Control for Cricket in India) tells us they have got clearance from their government to play with us," Khan said.

"If the clearance comes from the Indians, then we can look at finding a window to play a bilateral series sometime in 2016," the PCB chief said.

Khan said the PCB believes that it is important for Pakistan and India to resume bilateral ties.

"If not this year, we can do something in 2016 but it will all depend on the Indian board telling us when they are ready to play," he said.

He said whenever the BCCI gets the clearance from its government and a series is planned, it would be Pakistan's home series as per the MoU signed between the two Boards.

According to ICC's Future Tours Program (FTP), India and Pakistan are supposed to play six series between 2015 and 2023 with four to be hosted by Pakistan.

Pakistan and India have not played a full bilateral series since 2007 in the aftermath of 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai. Pakistan, however, had toured India for a short ODI series in 2012.