India could be playing a full series against Pakistan in the UAE in December 2015, according to Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Najam Sethi.
The PCB boss ruled out the possibility of Pakistan hosting India at home for the time being owing to security concerns. It paves the way for UAE, where all Pakistan’s home matches have been played since 2008, to host the sub-continent giants.
It is part of a binding agreement between Pakistan and India for six series in eight years, beginning with the UAE leg next year.
The modalities of the series, however, have not yet been finalised and it is not known how many Tests, one-dayers and Twenty20 matches will be played in each series.
While all the talk has been from the Pakistan side, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has yet to confirm the developments.
The PCB said the series were agreed in principle in April, but these were turned into a binding agreement on the sidelines of an International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting in Melbourne last week.
Sethi said: “India has officially turned into (a) binding agreement the Memorandum of Understanding signed earlier this year with regard to six rubbers between the two nations, four of these to be hosted by the PCB in the UAE or Pakistan with mutual consent.”
The first of the series with India is scheduled for December next year, likely to be played in the UAE.
“The agreement is now on paper and I hope that the day will also come when PMs (prime ministers) of both the countries clear it, then the two countries will also play in Pakistan. But at the moment it is not possible,” he added.
Sethi also indicated his country will earn $450 million in the next eight years, mainly by hosting four series against India.
This compares to Pakistan receiving $10 million per year from the ICC in the last seven years, he added.
Indian national teams had been regular visitors to the UAE but they have not been to the Gulf region since 2000.
A two-match one-day international series against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in 2006 was the last time India played in the UAE.
However, the massive turnout during the first leg of the Indian Premier League in the UAE two months ago has led to the BCCI promising to end the impasse.
