Kolkata: India on Saturday formally called off its ICC-scheduled cricket tour of Pakistan next month, prompting a retaliatory action from the other side which said it also would not send its team to India next year. Board of Control for Cricket In India (BCCI) president Jagmohan Dalmiya said the team could not go to Pakistan because of the long-standing government policy which has banned cricket matches with Pakistan in bilateral series. "It is known to everybody that the centre is against bilateral cricket ties with Pakistan," Dalmiya told. Dalmiya wrote to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) informing it of India's inability to send its team which attracted threat of a similar boycott from Pakistan next year. "BCCI chief Jagmohan Dalmiya informed us that though India was willing to tour Pakistan, the Indian government has not given it the approval," PCB spokesman Samiul Hassan told in Islamabad. Hassan said keeping in view India's stand; Pakistan will not send its team to India for a scheduled tour in 2004. Hassan said the PCB was trying to rope in some other team to fill in the gap but refused to elaborate. However, there are reports that PCB is considering inviting Kenya for a One-day series during that time.

Tags: cricket, icc-scheduled cricket tour, indian cricket team versus pakistan cricket team, board of control for cricket in india (bcci), jagmohan dalmiya, pakistan cricket board (pcb), samiul hassan.