LAHORE: A change in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) policy on playing bilateral series against Pakistan at neutral venues has brightened chances that the Indian government will not prevent its national team from resuming bilateral cricket with Pakistan.

“In the past, the BCCI was not ready to play Pakistan in a bilateral series even at any neutral venue [mainly due to Indian government’s influence].

However, this time India has brought a change in its policy and therefore the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) expects a full series with India in the UAE in October-November next year,” sources told Dawn on Saturday.

According to sources, the PCB needs its team to play against India, irrespective of whether Indian team face Pakistan on its soil, noting that competing against India even at a neutral venue would give the PCB financial benefit.

“Actually our security situation is not satisfactory. Therefore, the PCB can’t put pressure on the BCCI to send its team to Pakistan at any cost. While admitting this fact, the PCB is compelled not to insist India on visiting Pakistan [for the series],” sources revealed.

No cricket-playing country has been willing to tour Pakistan after the deadly terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in 2009 as the country’s giant stadiums are only being used for local matches.

In fact, since that dreadful terror attack apparently no concrete, coordinated attempt has been made by the government to convince international sporting teams to visit Pakistan.

Rather, it is feared by many in national sports circles that Pakistan would be banned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) mainly due to the in-fighting between two POA groups that has been going on for quite a while now.

Meanwhile, sources further said, though Pakistan joined the ‘Big Three’ formula belatedly, by making the move the country had attained the position of ‘number 4’ as South Africa’s share in the ICC income (through World Cups) is going to be less than Pakistan’s.

While Pakistan will get a share of 1.3 from the ICC income, the Proteas’ share is less.

Moreover, Sri Lanka, which also joined the ‘Big Three’ before Pakistan, are placed at sixth place in monetary share after New Zealand.