India board seeks government view

By Ayanjit Sen
BBC, Delhi

Rival captains Inzamam-ul Haq and Sourav Ganguly

The Indian cricket board is consulting the government about Pakistan's request to move a Test away from Ahmedabad in the forthcoming series.

Gautam Dasgupta, joint secretary of the BCCI, said all issues would be resolved after the government's view had been taken into account.

"The matter should be sorted out soon," he told the BBC.

Pakistan have formally lodged an objection to playing in Ahmedabad, the scene of religious riots in 2002.

The trouble resulted in 2,000 people being killed.

Madras (Chennai) is seen as the likeliest alternative if India agree to move the match away from Ahmedabad, where they last played Pakistan in 1987.

"The board is speaking to the foreign and home ministries and hosting a match elsewehere is always there as an option," said Rajiv Shukla, another senior board member.

The tour will be Pakistan's first to India for six years.

They are due to arrive on 25 February and will play three Tests - the other two in Mohali and Bangalore - and five one-day internationals.

Pakistan Cricket Board Shaharyar Khan told BBC Hindi on Saturday that there were one or two other issues to be resolved.

"Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla ground also looks ill-prepared for the fifth one-day match but that's something which the Indian board has to worry about," he commented.