After considerable debates about cricketing ties between India and Pakistan, the two countries have tentatively decided to play on a neutral venue, Sri Lanka. The five-match series will start from Dec. 15, but still awaits the Indian government's final approval.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif gave provisional clearance to the Pakistan Cricket Board. Soon after, Board of Control For Cricket in India official and Indian Premier League chairperson announced that the series would be held in Sri Lanka. "From Day one, I have been maintaining that cricket should not be brought into political controversy," he added.
India-Pakistan series will happen tentatively from Dec 15 in Sri Lanka-Rajiv Shukla,BCCI pic.twitter.com/X4mhlgoVxQ— ANI (@ANI_news) November 26, 2015
The two countries share a long-standing rivalry on the cricket field, with bilateral matches being highly-anticipated and drawing millions of viewers. India-Pakistan matches have often been a way to improve relations between the two neighbours as well.
However, cricketing relations have been strained since the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, led by members of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba. Last month, a meeting between India and Pakistan's cricket board chiefs ended abruptly after the regional political party Shiv Sena's activisits stormed into the meeting. The last bilateral series between the two countries was in December 2012, when Pakistan toured India for a five-match series.