SL delay Pak tour for ODI series vs India?

Karachi:

The Sri Lankan cricket authorities were delaying finalising the itinerary for the Pakistan tour because they first want to work out a window for a lucrative one-day series against India, sources said.

According to sources, the Indian Board has offered to play six one-dayers against Sri Lanka sometime in February-March with a proposal to organise three matches each in both the countries.

"The Sri Lankans have made it clear that they are very keen to play against India as this guaranteed them maximum revenues. This could be one reason why they have asked Pakistan to reschedule their tour from January," one source said.

"Because of this reason they want the Pakistan tour delayed until late February and have also reduced the number of matches from three Tests and five One-Day Internationals to two Tests and three one-day games," the source said.

"One thing is for sure, the Indian offer is far more important for them."

The Pakistan cricket Board officials have insisted that they don't think the Indian board is trying to derail their hastily arranged series against Sri Lanka but the sources said India was not making life easier for Pakistan.

"Both the series are unscheduled ones so it is a case of the Board with more muscle power having his way and in this case it appears to be India," one source said.

Pakistan are due to tour Bangladesh from March 3 to play five One-Day Internationals but Sri Lanka's insistence on changing their itinerary has left Pakistan with no option but to ask Bangladesh to delay the scheduled series.