PCB chief plans India visit to salvage tour

Islamabad: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ejaz Butt will visit India later this month in a bid to save India's scheduled tour to Pakistan next year.

"The PCB chairman will meet officials of the Board of Control for Cricket in India [BCCI] later this month and convince them to tour Pakistan," PCB's chief operating officer Salim Altaf said on Saturday.

India are scheduled to tour Pakistan and play three Test matches, five one-day Internationals and a Twenty20 international during its January 4-February 19 tour to Pakistan.

The BCCI is awaiting a security assessment from the Indian government, which earlier this month stopped India's hockey team going to India on security grounds.

Altaf said an Indian security delegation will visit Pakistan, most likely early next month. "We are very much optimistic that the [cricket] tour will go ahead as planned," Altaf said.

Altaf said the PCB has begun talks to organise the series in Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi should India refuse to tour Pakistan.

Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani also said last week he would talk to his Indian counterpart in an effort to save the tour.

Pakistan have not played a home Test this year due to security reasons. Australia cancelled their tour, while the Champions Trophy was also postponed.

The PCB also agreed to a $140.5 million (Dh516.76 million) five-year television contract with Taj Entertainment Network - also known as Ten Sports.

"It is an excellent deal and starts with the home series against India," Altaf said.