Relations between the India and Pakistan players is good

The Indian cricket board is confident of resuming bilateral cricket ties with Pakistan in the near future.

Jagmohan Dalmiya, the president of the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) said on Saturday: "I am pretty confident that we will be granted permission to resume cricket ties with Pakistan in a few days.

"I cannot say when the series between the countries will be played as both India and Pakistan have a very tight schedule this year.

"But if we get permission from the government we will try and squeeze some days."

The BCCI has to get permission from the Indian Government, which has refused to allow cricket matches in the two countries for the last three years.

The government has accused Pakistan of supporting militant groups in Jammu and Kashmir.

Dalmiya added: "We are constantly in touch with our government to find out their latest views on the subject and we are getting positive signals."

India and Pakistan were allowed to play each other in the World Cup in South Africa, which India won easily.

The first time they could play each could be in next year's Asia Cup, which is being pencilled in for either March or April.

Four Test teams, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bagladesh, along with two qualifiers, UAE and Hong Kong, would feature in the tournament.

Pakistan had threatened to pull out of the Asia Cup because of India's playing ban.

"All these things can be sorted out once we get permission to play against Pakistan," Dalmiya added.