India and Pakistan plan lucrative tri-series

Pakistan, India and Australia are set to play a triangular series in India during September, ahead of the Champions Trophy. The tournament, which would be a lucrative money-spinner involving three of the leading teams in the world, is expected to take place between September 12 and October 5.

The one sticking point had been that Pakistan were scheduled to host Zimbabwe in late September, but yesterday's announcement that Zimbabwe had suspended themselves from Test cricket clears the way for the tournament. "That hurdle has now gone," confirmed the chairman of the PCB, Shahrayar Khan.

"It is always sad to lose a Test nation but there was a lot of turmoil in their cricket," the BCCI official, Raj Singh Dungarpur, told the BBC. "Zimbabwe should now concentrate on improving their standard by playing against non-Test nations like Kenya and return next year a competitive side."

India has recently stated its desire to arrange more series outside of the ICC Future Tours Programme in order to maximise its income. Matches against the likes of Australia and Pakistan are guaranteed to rake in big money from sponsors and television rights.