ISLAMABAD: The bilateral series between Pakistan and India has got clearance from the Pakistan government, the PCB said in a release on Friday. The series is likely to start on December 15, according to senior Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI) administrator Rajiv Shukla. “PCB has received a decision by the government of Pakistan, accepting the resumption of Pak-India cricket series in December 2015-January 2016 with Pakistan hosting it in Sri Lanka. Details of the proposed series will be announced later once the BCCI gives a go-ahead for it,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) statement said. Despite Sri Lanka being widely reported as the frontrunner to host the series, a fact already confirmed by BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur, PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan had indicated on Thursday that Bangladesh was in the mix too. He had said: “Both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have their pluses and minuses, but we are yet to make a final decision on venues. We know Sri Lanka’s biggest minus is that it rains a lot and we don’t want that we go there and return without playing the game. It will be one from those choices and there is no proposal from England as widely speculated.” Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Riaz Hussain said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had sought advice from his department.“We are all in for playing the sport with India to extend friendship at every level,” Pirzada told ESPNcricinfo. The series, which was finalised last weekend after a meeting between the heads of the BCCI and PCB, will be officially hosted by the PCB and is likely to comprise three ODIs and two T20s. “India-Pakistan series will happen tentatively from December 15 in Sri Lanka,” Shukla told a news agency on Friday. No official confirmation could be obtained from the BCCI, with both president Shashank Manohar and board secretary Thakur not responding to calls. On Wednesday both the BCCI and PCB had said that they were awaiting clearance from their governments.
