PCB chief Zaka Ashraf to be in India next month

Pakistan and India last played a bilateral series in late 2007 when Pakistan went to India.

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Zaka Ashraf will visit India in the second week of December to hold talks with BCCI officials on resumption of bilateral ties cricket between the two countries.

An official in the PCB confirmed that application for a visa had been filed with the Indian High Commission and other travel arrangements were also being made for the visit in second week of December.

The PCB Chairman himself is attaching a lot of importance to the visit as it will be an official one that has been encouraged by the Indian board, the official said.

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PCB’s former Chairman Ijaz Butt also visited India several times but sources said most of the time he went there to tie up issues with the broadcasters who hold rights to Pakistan cricket and for his own private business.

Except for the 2011 World Cup semi final in Mohali Butt didn’t go to India with any formal meeting set up with the Indian board officials, a reliable source said.

He said,in contrast the BCCI had itself responded positively to a letter sent to them by Ashraf soon after he took charge in late October.

The Indian Board itself has invited Ashraf to visit India and discuss cricket issues including next year’s FTP Pakistan tour to India, the source said.

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He said Zaka Ashraf had also got the green signal from the government to hold talks with his Indian counterparts and confirm to them that Pakistan is ready to tour India next year once the itinerary is finalised.

Pakistan and India last played a bilateral series in late 2007 when Pakistan went to India and in early 2009 India cancelled a test tour to Pakistan after the Mumbai terror attacks.