PCB optimistic of playing India next year

The Pakistan Cricket Board has not given up hope of playing India in a Test series next year, revealed Chairman Zaka Ashraf.

Ashraf, who is in Dhaka to meet the Bangladesh Cricket Board officials to discuss prospects of the country's team touring to Pakistan next year, said he had not given up hope on the Indo-Pak series.

"The Indian board chief, N Srinivasan, didn't come to attend the Asian Cricket Council meeting in Singapore, so the issue of next year's series could not be discussed," Ashraf said.

"But I will meet him next month on the sidelines of the ICC meeting in Dubai and hopefully some solution can be found to having the series with India," he added.

PCB officials suffered a setback during the ACC meeting in Singapore recently as the Asian Council confirmed the Asia Cup would be held on schedule in March in Bangladesh, effectively ruling out prospects of Pakistan touring India around the same time for the FTP Test series.

The series has fallen into doldrums since the fifth edition of the IPL is scheduled to commence around April 12th.

Ashraf, however, said he was not disappointed with what had happened in Singapore.

"I think the Asia Cup had to be held on schedule. But when I meet with Srinivasan next month I see some ray of hope for the bilateral series," he insisted.

Ashraf also made it clear that Pakistan had no grievances against the Bangladesh board and instead he was in Dhaka to give their officials a detailed presentation on the security arrangements for their team if they decided to tour Pakistan next year as per the FTP.

"If we can't play India than we have to look at playing other teams and my main objective is to try to convince the Bangladesh board officials that we can host their team in Pakistan and provide them the best security," he said.

Bangladesh has made it clear that it would only tour Pakistan if it gets security clearance from its government and the ICC since no foreign team has toured Pakistan after March, 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore.