NEW DELHI — Pakistan will open its first limited-overs series in India for five years with a Twenty20 international in Bangalore on Dec. 25, the Indian cricket board announced Thursday. The tourists will play one more T20 match in Ahmedabad on Dec. 27 before a three-match one-day series starts in Chennai on Dec. 30, the Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Sanjay Jagdale said in a statement. Kolkata and Delhi will be the venue for the other ODIs, the Indian board said after securing government clearance to host Pakistan. The rivals have not played a series since Pakistan's tour of India in 2007, after cricket ties were broken following the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai. The Indian and Pakistani cricket teams have met only in international tournaments since 2007. They clashed in the 50-over World Cup semifinal in the northern Indian town of Mohali last year, a match that was attended by both countries' prime ministers. India and Pakistan also played during the Asia Cup in Bangladesh in March. Both matches were won by India. Schedule: Dec. 22: Arrival in Bangalore; Dec. 25: First T20 international in Bangalore; Dec. 27: Second T20 international in Ahmedabad; Dec. 30: First ODI in Chennai; Jan. 3: Second ODI in Kolkata; Jan. 6: Third ODI in Delhi Bangladesh has, meanwhile, also provisionally committed to a tour of Pakistan at the end of the year depending on security arrangements and the results of discussions with the government, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hasan announced Thursday. Smith joins Surrey as captain South Africa cricket captain Graeme Smith has joined Surrey as its new skipper with “immediate effect”, the English county announced Thursday. Smith, currently leading the Proteas on its tour of Australia, will join Oval-based Surrey after the conclusion of South Africa's home series against Pakistan in March — ahead of the start of the 2013 English domestic season. The move, on a three-year deal, to the First Division club is bound to lead to speculation regarding Smith's international future. — Agencies
