by PHILIP SPOONER

THE WEST INDIES CRICKET BOARD (WICB) is finalising plans for a four-match limited-overs series against India in late January 2007.

Zorol Barthley, the WICB's, cricket operations manager, said the board was in negotiations with the Board for Cricket Control of India (BCCI) for the series to go ahead on the sub-continent.

The series was originally planned to be a triangular with Sri Lanka as the third team. However the Indian authorities have decided to play four matches against both teams instead.

"We are still finalising discussions, but it is looking like four one-dayers against India in India. If we had played the tri-series we would have had four matches play a final, so you could say we are one match short," Barthley said.

The BCCI decided to split the series so they could get eight matches in preparation for the 2007 International Cricket Council World Cup.

Good preparation

"It will be good preparation for us as well. Once all is put in place we will be quite happy with the arrangements," Barthley added.

Meanwhile, the West Indies will play three Tests and five One-Day Internationals during their tour of Pakistan, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Friday.

This will be their first full tour of Pakistan since 1997.

The tour is scheduled to start in the second week of November, just days after the Champions Trophy final in India. The three Tests will be played at Lahore, Multan and Karachi, respectively, followed by the One-Dayers.

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) had earlier written to the PCB to adjust the tour dates, in order to allow their players to participate in the Stanford 20/20 international in Antigua against South Africa.

However, the PCB rejected the request, stating that it had commitments with the Future Tours Programme. With several West Indies players from the senior team selected for the one-off match, it is uncertain at this point if the match – with a winner's cheque of US$5 million – will go ahead as planned on November 10.

The Windies are expected to arrive in Pakistan on November 7.

Tour schedule

November 11-15: 1st Test – Lahore

November 19-23: 2nd Test – Multan

November 27-December 1: 3rd Test – Karachi

December 5: 1st One-Day International – Rawalpindi

December 7: 2nd One-Day International – Faisalabad

December 10: 3rd One-Day International – Lahore

December 13: 4th One-Day International – Multan

December 16: 5th One-Day International – Karachi