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CALCUTTA (India): India will not play Test matches at Karachi and Peshawar on next month's tour of Pakistan due to "security concerns", according to the itinerary released here on Saturday.

Both cities will, however, hold one-day internationals following an agreement reached between the cricket boards of the two countries, Indian cricket chief Jagmohan Dalmiya told reporters here.

India's first full tour of Pakistan in almost 15 years between March 10 and April 18 will begin with five one-dayers followed by three five-day Test matches at Multan, Lahore and Rawalpindi, Dalmiya said.

Indian sports minister Vikram Varma said the decision not to play Tests at Karachi and Lahore followed a directive from the federal home ministry to keep the touring team's stay in these two cities as short as possible.

'The Home Ministry has recommended not to hold Test matches in Karachi and Peshawar and these recommendations are binding on the cricket board,' Varma said in New Delhi.

India to open tour with warm up game on Mar 11

Indian team will open its historic tour of Pakistan in 15 years with a one-day warm up game at Gadaffi stadium here on March 11 but has refused to play test matches at Karachi and Peshawar owing to security reasons.

This was stated by Ramiz Raja, Chief Executive, Pakistan Cricket Board, in Lahore at a news conference to announce the much awaited tour programme of the Indian team which is arriving Lahore on March 10.

'Indian team, instead, will be playing one-day internationals at Karachi and Peshawar which is very big contentment for us as they have, at last, showed willingness to play at both the centres which were neglected in the past by the foreign teams', he said.

Following is the tour programme in which the visiting side will play a one-day warm-up game, five one-day internationals and three Tests between March 11 and April 17.

Full Itinerary:

Prepared by: Pakistan Times Staff: Errors/Omissions accepted

'Little Master' disappointed with no Test in Karachi

Former Pakistan cricket great and captain Hanif Muhammad said Saturday that he was disappointed on Indian decision of not playing a Test in Karachi during their upcoming tour to Pakistan from March 11.

"I was expecting to see Pakistan and Indian cricketers in action at National Stadium Karachi", he said while commenting on Indian team's itinerary released today.

Little Master Hanif said Karachiites are great cricket-loving people and they were keen to see arch-rivals in the city, who are coming on full tour to Pakistan after 15 years. He said cricket-lovers are disappointed with the decision of India board not to play a Test in Karachi.

However he hoped that international cricket at last will be played in Karachi after two years when the opening One-day International against Indians will be played here on March 13.

Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA) also expressed their disappointment for no Test match against India in Karachi. "We are highly disappointed that there will be no Test match against India in Karachi" Secretary KCCA Syed Sirajul Islam Bukhari said.

"We were anxiously waiting for this tour to happen and see Indian players in action in Test matches as well as one-dayer" he said.

Indo-Pak blind cricketers second ODI on Sunday

Meanwhile, reigning World Blind Champions Pakistan will take on touring Indian blind team in their second One-day International (ODI) at National Stadium Sunday (today).

Pakistan cricketers have already taken 1-0 lead in the five-match series by winning the opening one-dayer at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore by eight wicket thanks to a brilliant unbeaten 148 by Muhammad Fayyaz.

Third match of the series will also be played at the same venue on Tuesday.

Keeping in view Pakistan's standing, the home team is firm favorite to make the clean-sweep in the series. Both Pakistan and Indian teams which arrived here in the morning had a two-hour training session and workout at PCB Regional Academy ground.

The 40-overs match will be supervised by Test umpire Feroz Butt and Khalid Mahmood. Munawar Agha will be the match referee. The entry to the match will be free and spectators are appealed to witness the match in large number to encourage Pakistan and Indian blind cricketers.

The man of the match will be getting a mere amount of Rs 5000 (US$ 87).

In the meantime all the arrangements have been completed to stage this match in befitting manner. The match will be live beamed on the television.