By Paul Grunill BBC Sport cricket editor

Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi meets the Indian security team

The prospect of India's first Test tour to Pakistan for 14 years has resulted in a state of fevered anticipation among cricket fans in both countries.

For India, it offers them a chance to underline their credentials as the team who may ultimately be capable of toppling Australia from the top of the Test rankings.

For Pakistan, it provides an opportunity to put one over on their biggest rivals and accelerate the development of a side which has been given a new-look since the disappointment of the 2003 World Cup.

But the series also has a wider, symbolic importance after years of enmity between the two nations.

PROVISIONAL TEST DATES 11-15 March, Lahore 19-23 March, Peshawar 27-31 March, Karachi

"Seeing Indian and Pakistani players together on the field would be a great lesson to the people of both countries, and a lesson to the governments concerned," former Indian Test player Farokh Engineer told BBC Sport.

A security team sent to Pakistan by the Indian cricket board is yet to report back, but on Saturday India's government, to the relief of millions, approved the tour.

"Security will be very tight, and should be very tight, and I don't think the players have anything to worry about. If I was an Indian player, I'd be delighted to go to Pakistan," said Engineer.

"I was in Bombay three or four months ago and [Pakistan fast bowler] Shoaib Akhtar was there.

"He had never been to Bombay before, didn't know what to expect and he was overwhelmed with the hospitality. The Indian players would be received the same way in Pakistan."

Imagine the sight of Shoaib Akhtar charging in to bowl at Sachin Tendulkar, Sehwag, Dravid, Laxman or Ganguly Asif Iqbal

Engineer believes the series is so important, that even if India had been unwilling to travel to Pakistan, a neutral venue could have been found - perhaps Sharjah - but the series would have lost much of its appeal.

Former Pakistan captain Asif Iqbal said security was bound to play on the fears of players and administrators.

He said: "The way things are in the world, wherever you play, if there are elements who want to disrupt something, they can do it anywhere.

"I totally go along with the view that the players' security is paramount - there's no two ways about it.

"If the Indian players or board feels there is any particular venue they are not comfortable with, the Pakistan Cricket Board should say 'Fine, wherever you are happy, the matches should be played there.'

India's blind cricketers will play five one-day matches in Pakistan later this month as scheduled.

And after some nervous moments in the last few days when it looked like the national team might cancel or postpone their own tour, supporters of both nations have finally had their fears quelled.