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Pakistan and India are likely to break the bilateral series deadlock but on a neutral venue. India are scheduled to tour Pakistan in April and May next year for three Tests and five one-day internationals.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is awaiting final approval from its government that has clamped ban on all bilateral sports ties with Pakistan.

Malcolm Speed, the chief executive of the International Cricket Council (ICC), has told officials from Pakistan and India that Jaghmohan Dalmiya has had a detailed meeting with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

"The crux of the meeting was resumption of cricket ties with Pakistan. Dalmiya tried to convince the Prime Minister that India's position in cricket world was having negative effect by refusing to play Pakistan in bilateral events," Speed was quoted as telling the officials from the two countries.

"Dalmiya has conveyed (to the ICC) that the Prime Minister has responded in the positive. But his main concerns remains security of players (in Pakistan)," Speed told the officials.

Australia cancelled October's tour to Pakistan citing players security. The series could be played on a neutral venue though a top Zimbabwe cricket official has offered to tour Pakistan while saying he had the confidence on the assurances being given by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The PCB has not made any announcements.

Speed Monday told reporters said India would not be penalized if it refuses to tour Pakistan."If a government refuses to let its cricket team play against another team, generally it is accepted as good reasons for that board not to be penalized," he said.

"I am hoping that things (between India and Pakistan) would change very quickly in world affairs. The conflict is now in place for many many years. Hopefully we can resolve that shortly and those great criceting countries will resume playing against each other," he said.

© Dawn