NEW DELHI (Reuters)
India's sports ministry is to approach the federal foreign office to decide whether the national cricket team can play an Asian Test championship match in Pakistan next month.

"The matter will be referred to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) shortly since it is a high-level bilateral decision," a sports ministry official, who did not wish to be identified, told Reuters. The sports ministry is expected to refer the matter to the foreign office on Thursday.

"We will take a decision once the matter is referred to us. We haven't received anything from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports so far," said Nirupama Rao, an MEA joint secretary.

Cricket relations between arch-rivals India and Pakistan have been strained since the Indian government cancelled a proposed Test tour of Pakistan late last year and banned all bilateral cricket between the neighbours. There has been speculation about the future of cricket's Asian Test championship as a result of India's stand.

A.C. Muthiah, president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), said last week that the tournament would not take place if India decided to withdraw. However, his Pakistani counterpart Lieutenant General Tauqir Zia, who is also president of the Asian Cricket Council, has been reported as saying in Karachi that the event would go ahead regardless. "The Asian Test championship will go on even if India does not come to Pakistan to play the Test next month," Zia was reported assaying.

If India do travel to Karachi for the match scheduled from September 13-17, it will be their first Test on Pakistani soil in nearly 12 years. The Indian government did not allow their national team to play in a one-day tournament also involving Pakistan in Sharjah last April. Pakistan retaliated by saying they would sever all cricketing ties with India but softened their stance after Muthiah agreed in May to the Asian Test championship match.

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