Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) chief executive, David East, says his board would be 'delighted' to host the Pakistan-India series scheduled for December 2015 and that the UAE should be firm favourites considering their association with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced a tentative Future Tours Programme (FTP) schedule that will see the two cricketing rivals renew proceedings for six series between 2015 and 2023.
The first of those series is planned for next winter, with Pakistan billed as the home nation for the two Tests, five ODIs and two T20Is.
"We've been posting the PCB for the past five years so if the first tour is scheduled for 2015 then we'd like to think we would be in line to host the series in the UAE and that they would want to host it here" East told Sport360°.
"We are delighted to have a Pakistan and India series return to international cricket and it would be a pleasure to host them.
"It's one of the most fierce rivalries in Test cricket, even more so than Australia and England, and its absence has hurt world cricket."
Despite the BCCI agreeing to host Pakistan twice during the eight-year cycle, ESPNcricinfo has reported that the Indian board has added a clause in the memorandum that each of the six series remain "subject to government clearance".
And, while the agreement has been reached in principle, a final decision is subject to agreement at an ICC board meeting in October.
"Until we sit down and chat with the PCB, we don't know if the series will be held here," added East. "It would be great for the series to be played in the UAE but until we have official confirmation, we cannot be certain."
The last time the two sides played a Test series against each other was in India in November 2007.
