Pakistan has asked the International Cricket Council to intervene after the West Indies decided not to go ahead with next year's scheduled tour.

The two sides were due to meet in February and March, but the West Indies Cricket Board has instead invited India to tour the Caribbean at the same time.

The Pakistan Cricket Board lost an estimated $15m when India cancelled a series last year and fear similar financial problems if the tour does not go ahead.

West Indies also cancelled a visit to Pakistan in 1999 because the dates coincided with their domestic one-day competition.

"We have been forced to write to the ICC because the West Indies have not responded to a letter we wrote in March, " PCB director Munawwar Rana told the Reuters News Agency.

The West Indies' decision will also affect the ICC's five-year Test Championship to which all 10 full member countries have signed up.

Pakistan tour England next month and then have a home series against New Zealand later this year.

They will then visit Bangladesh for two Tests next January, but if the West Indies tour does not go ahead, they will then be out of action until Australia visit in September/October 2002.

"We want the ICC to make West Indies remember the five-year plan and force them to follow it," Rana added.