Pakistan, India \\\'to resume play\\\'

LAHORE, May 15 (AFP): Pakistan confirmed Wednesday it had agreed to play six full series of cricket against India with official backing, the first since the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks suspended play between the teams.

Pakistan is expected to host four of the matches over the next eight years, after its cricket board said it had signed a memorandum of understanding with India on the issue, and pending a legal agreement.

"The Future Tours Programme (FTP) for Pakistan between 2015 and 2023 will have six tours with India, four of which will be hosted by Pakistan," Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed told.

Reports had been circulating since last month that a full series would be played between the two nations as early as next year after the PCB conditionally agreed to a reorganisation of the game's administration, the International Cricket Council (ICC), which will give India a bigger say in its governance.

India suspended all bilateral series with Pakistan in the wake of the 2008 attacks, which New Delhi blamed on militants based across the border.

The Pakistan team did tour India for a short limited over series in December 2012-January 2013 but a full series was not agreed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).