Cricket diplomacy: BCCI seeks government permission for India-Pakistan series in Dubai — Report

New Delhi: In a major development which will help stabilizing strained India-Pakistan cricketing ties, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly asked the Indian Home Ministry for it's approval to a series in Dubai.

According to a report in the Indian Express on Wednesday, the BCCI has written to the Home Ministry, seeking permission to play arch-rivals to complete the obligations under the Future Tours & Programme (FTP) agreement which was inked in 2014.

The report also claimed that, the BCCI, when it was headed by Shashank Manohar, wanted to host Pakistan for a short series last years. But, it claimed, the board did not get government clearance thanks to the cross-border tension between the two countries, and also the terror attacks in India.

“Permission has been sought from Home Ministry, we don’t know what is the government stand. Last time, tension between the two countries was at its peak. Also, there is the FTP agreement that needs to be fulfilled and that’s why the board is willing to travel to Dubai to play a series against Pakistan. Unless the government gives its nod, the BCCI cannot do anything,” a source told Indian Express.

This time, the report claimed, the BCCI has expressed its desire to play the series in Dubai, which has been hosting matches for Pakistan for some time.

And, the Indian board has also considered the September or November window for the proposed series, before India's tour of South Africa, it at all the government gives the green signal.