India approves Pakistan tour itinerary & the security plan

Grappling with the postponement of the series against Australia and the Champions Trophy, the Pakistan Cricket Board received a shot in the arm after India approved the itinerary and the security plan of its tour next year.

A senior PCB official confirmed that India had approved the itinerary of three Tests, five one-day internationals, one Twenty20 match and a three day practice game during the tour from January 4 to February 21.

"We had sent them a tentative itinerary for approval and also a security plan and they have said they are satisfied with our proposals," the official said today.

He said the security plan was also comprehensive and it was unlikely the Indians will send a security delegation to inspect arrangements as they had done on their last two Test tours in 2004 and 2006.

"The security plan is comparable to the one we had prepared for the Champions Trophy and India are well aware of it in the process of briefings given to the Champions Trophy teams in recent months," he said.

"India was one of those countries that had backed our security plan and assurances so they are standing by their word. And even if they do send a security delegation before the tour we will welcome them," he added.

The official said the itinerary will be announced early next week after it is approved by the international cricket committee of the board in the absence of a Chairman.

The Indian tour will be spread over five venues -- Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan and Faisalabad.

It will be a major boost for Pakistan cricket which has not played a test throughout the year and has also been stunned by the postponement of Australia`s Test tour in March and than the Champions Trophy in September due to security concerns.

The official said India`s approval of the itinerary was a big boost for them and they would announce it soon to start preparing for the sponsors and sale of television and marketing rights.

"The way we look at it a Test series against India is the mother of all series for us because the revenues generated are more than those put together against other teams," PCB chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi said.