Our team set to tour Pakistan, says India’s tennis chief

KARACHI: India’s tennis chief Praveen Mahajan confirmed on Monday that the Indian tennis team will travel to Pakistan in September this year to play a Davis Cup tie despite strained relations between the two countries.

Mahajan, President of the All India Tennis Association (AITA), has said the government had no issues with the players crossing the border for the Asia/Oceania Group 1 tie to be held on September 14 and 15.

“Yes, they are set to tour Pakistan,” he was quoted as saying in a news report. “We informed the government about it and they were OK with it.

“We did not require a clearance from them because it is an international event but we do not do anything without asking the government.”

An Indian team last toured Pakistan in 1964 for the Davis Cup, where they defeated the hosts 4-0. Pakistan lost 3-2 when they toured Mumbai in 2006.

Until a few years ago, Pakistan was forced to host its home Davis Cup ties at neutral venues as teams refused to travel to the South Asian nation over security concerns.

But Mahajan said India has not demanded any “special security” arrangements for the upcoming tie to be played at the grass courts of the Pakistan Sports Complex in Islamabad.

India are likely to announce their touring squad in the first week of August. –with inputs from agencies