Riveting cricket sparks moves for annual India-Pakistan showdown by AFP

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Event:

Pakistan in India 2004/05

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DateLine: 31st March 2005

 

NEW DELHI, 30 Mar 2005: Two absorbing Test series in the space of 12 months have encouraged officials from India and Pakistan to seek to play out one of cricket's great rivalries every year.

 

Moves were afoot Tuesday to draw up a timetable by which the arch-rivals will cross each other's borders every year to cash in on the hysteria generated by what one official said was "the best advertisement for Test cricket."

 

When India visited Pakistan in March-April last year for their first Test series there in 15 years, the tourists won the first match in Multan, Pakistan drew level in Lahore and India won the third in Rawalpindi.

 

Pakistan's first series on Indian soil in six years, which ended in Bangalore on Monday, was equally riveting with all three Tests taking a decisive turn in the final session of the last day.

 

The series ended 1-1 with Pakistan drawing level in Bangalore with a 168-run victory after India had won the second Test in Calcutta by 195 runs.

 

The first Test in Mohali was drawn due to Pakistan's superb fightback after they led by just 53 runs with four wickets in hand. The seventh-wicket pair of Kamran Akmal and Abdul Razzaq batted for most of the final day to deny India victory.

 

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shahrayar Khan confirmed he was in talks with Indian officials to hold a series every year.

 

"India and Pakistan playing each other provides the best advertisement for Test cricket," Khan told AFP.

 

"The last two series have whetted our apetitite. It is good for the sport and good for both countries."

 

India are slated to tour Pakistan in January next year for three Tests and six one-day internationals before taking part in the limited-overs Asia Cup in Pakistan.

 

The International Cricket Council's schedule, which has the 10 Test-level nations playing each other home and away every six years, makes special allowances for traditional contests like the England v Australia Ashes tours and the India v Pakistan series.

 

Cricket ties between India and Pakistan have often been suspended due to political tensions. There were no bilateral tours between 1952 to 1978, 1989 to 1999 and again from 2000 to 2004.

 

Officials, however, are eager to make up for lost time.

 

"We have agreed in principle to play each other every year," Indian cricket board official Gautam Dasgupta said. "We are working out the details."

(Article: Copyright © 2005 AFP)