India-Pak 'neutral venue' cricket series on cards: Ijaz Butt

Lahore, Sep.20 (ANI): Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ijaz Butt has said that Indian and Pakistan would soon be playing bilateral series at a neutral venue.

Addressing a press conference at the Gaddaffi stadium here, Butt said the PCB has received the International Cricket Council's (ICC) latest Future Tour Programme (FTP) in which there is a proposal of several matches between the two sides.

"We have received a fresh draft of the FTP which is two blocks of four years each, from 2012 to 2016 and to 2020. In it we have Tests, one-dayers and Twenty20 matches against India," The Daily Times quoted Butt, as saying.

Butt said the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) has also shown interest in playing against Pakistan on a neutral venue.

"India has agreed to play against Pakistan in a bilateral series in a revised draft of the Future Tours Program that we would discuss at ICC's chief executive committee meeting in Johannesburg on October 1," he said.

Pakistan had initially registered an official protest at the earlier draft of the FTP from 2012 onwards as it didn't included any matches against India.

Responding to queries regarding tainted fast bowler Mohammad Asif, Butt said Asif would play against New Zealand in the proposed UAE series only after getting clearance from the authorities of that country.

"The board is inquiring to find out weather Asif can travel to Dubai or not and if he gets clearance only then he would play against New Zealand otherwise he wont be part of the national team," he said. (ANI)