KOLKATA, Sept 16: India’s cricket board hopes its junior team’s tour of Pakistan next month will help in the resumption of full bilateral cricket ties between the two hostile neighbours.

India’s under-19 team will travel to Pakistan for a one-day series also involving Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

“The success of this tour could help in resumption of bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan,” Jagmohan Dalmiya, president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), said on Tuesday after an Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting.

“The signs from the government are very positive, and we are hopeful of resumption of cricket between the two countries at some stage.

“But I can’t say when it will happen. That is up to the government to decide.”

Earlier this year, the Pakistan Cricket Board said it was ready to host India, who have twice cancelled Test tours to Pakistan after being denied permission by the government.

The Indian government has not allowed its team to play bilateral cricket matches against Pakistan since 2000 due to political tensions over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.

But earlier this month it cleared the country’s junior side to play against Pakistan.

The teams will meet in a tournament in Sri Lanka starting later this month, followed by the under-19 tour to Pakistan. India will then host the A-teams of Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in December.

New Delhi has allowed national teams from India and Pakistan to meet in multilateral events at neutral venues, such as the World Cup in South Africa earlier this year.

Dalmiya added that an Asia Cup, featuring India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and two ACC affiliates Hong Kong and United Arab Emirates, would be held next April. But he said a venue for the event had not yet been decided.—Reuters