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Pakistan will play a three-match One-day Internationals series in England next May. The dates and venues will be officially announced by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) , most likely in July and after the annual International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting starting at Lord's from June 20. However, Lord's, Old Trafford and Headingley are said to be the most likely venues.

An official of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), requesting anonymity, confirmed to Dawn that an invitation for the series by ECB was received last month "which has been accepted in principle by the chairman of the board (Lt Gen Tauqir Zia)."

The official said that the series would be played immediately after the scheduled home series against India. India are slated to be in Pakistan between April 7 and May 20 for three Tests and five One-day Internationals.

However, hopes of India crossing the border remain remote for the third time in less than 18 months after Indian sports minister Uma Bharti Wednesday ruled out resumption of bilateral cricket ties with Pakistan. Nevertheless, she insisted Pakistan's participation in major events like the ICC Champions Trophy and the World Cup would not hinder India's appearance.

The one-day series between Pakistan and England would serve as the curtain-raiser for the 2003 English cricket season in which Zimbabwe and South Africa will also visit and play seven Tests besides a triangular one-day series.

The ECB had sent the invitation to the PCB to accommodate England coach Duncan Fletcher's request who has said time and again that England lagged behind countries like Pakistan and Australia in the number of limited overs international they play.

The ECB were forced to contact the PCB after seven of the 10 Test- playing countries, including England, were engaged in international assignments during the period of the proposed series. India were also available but were not approached in the aftermath of a bitter controversy between the Board of Control for Cricket in India and ECB over the number of Tests this summer.

The BCCI had maintained earlier this year that India would only play four Tests if England played an additional sixth One- day International during their tour to India last year. ECB had surrendered saying it would suffer a financial losses upto seven million pounds if India cancelled the tour.

Pakistan had also bailed the ECB out of crisis when it agreed to play in a two-Test series last year that sparked a controversy. The cricket pundits in Pakistan and Wasim Akram slammed the local administrators saying England had used them to prepare their team for the Ashes series which Australia won 4-1.

Pakistan had also participated in the tri-nation one-day series where it defeated England thrice and Australia once before losing a lopsided final to the world champions at Lord's.

Pakistan are slated to play in a full series in England in July 2006.

© Dawn