KARACHI, June 29: The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) will discuss the soft opening of the resumption of ties between Pakistan and India and steps to win one-day status for United Arab Emirates and Nepal in its meeting next week, an official said on Sunday.

“The ACC development staff meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Wednesday and Thursday will discuss the soft opening of the resumption of ties between Pakistan and India already initiated at junior level,” ACC development officer Zakir Hussain Syed said.

India on Saturday took the first step towards restoring the ties, severed by New Delhi over political tension three years ago, by clearing an Indian Under-19 team tour to Pakistan for a four-nation tournament in Sept.

“The idea of resuming the India-Pakistan ties at junior level was taken in the ACC meeting in London earlier this month and the coming meeting will further this plan,” said Zakir, a former secretary of the ACC.

‘A’ teams from Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka are also due to take part in a tripartite series in Sri Lanka in August and a Pakistan ‘A’ team will tour India in November.

“The resumption of ties, albeit at junior level, is a good sign and it’s a matter of time that all cricket will be revived which will help the development of the game in the continent.”

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also awaits government permission to allow its national team to play a series of one-day matches, one each in Pakistan and India, in September this year and for a three-match Test series next year.

The ACC meeting, to be chaired by chief executive Ashraful Haque of Bangladesh, will also discuss steps to help UAE and Nepal win the right to play one-day cricket.—AFP