Christmas Day T20 in Bangalore to kick-off India-Pakistan series

The India-Pakistan limited overs cricket series will start in Bangalore with the first Twenty20 international slated for Christmas Day, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Thursday.

The second Twenty20 will be held in Ahmedabad while the three ODIs will be hosted by Chennai (Dec 30), Kolkata (Jan 3) and New Delhi (Jan 6). Pakistan will leave for home Jan 7.

The home ministry Tuesday cleared the Pakistan cricket team's tour to India. It has also agreed to ensure security for the visiting team, according to officials.

India in July decided to resume cricketing ties with Pakistan and had invited them for a short series, to be played in the period intervening the Tests and ODIs against England.

The cricketing ties had snapped after the 2008 terror strikes in Mumbai by Pakistani nationals. The two countries last played a bilateral series in 2007 when Pakistan toured India.

However, during the World Cup semi-final in Mohali in February 2011, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh invited his then Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani and the two leaders had watched the high-profile match that India won.

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