Pakistan hockey team to tour India in March 2013

After cricket it's the turn of Indian hockey to resume bilateral ties with Pakistan, with the neighbours scheduled to tour the country for a five-Test series in March next year.

In a return goodwill gesture, the Indian hockey team is expected to tour Pakistan a month later in May for another five-Test series.

The modalities of both the series would be sorted out in a joint meeting between Hockey India secretary general Narinder Batra and Pakistan Hockey Federation chief Asif Bajwa in Lahore on January 29.

"On the invitation of PHF I am going to Pakistan for a two-day trip on January 29. During the meeting we will discuss the modalities of the resumption of bilateral hockey ties between the two nations," Batra told PTI.

"If everything goes as per plan Pakistan will tour India at the end of March next year for five Test matches. Then India will visit Pakistan in May for another five Tests," he added.

Batra and Bajwa are expected to sign an agreement on the resumption of bilateral series during the meeting.

The last Indo-Pak hockey Test series, with three matches in each country, was held in early 2006. Pakistan had won three matches, India had clinched one while two were drawn.

The bilateral cricket ties between India and Pakistan -- on hold since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks -- is all set to resume this month, with the neighbours arriving in the country today for a limited overs series.

The series, featuring two Twenty20 Internationals and three ODIs, will begin with the first T20 match in Bangalore on December 25.