India Davis Cup team to tour Pakistan for first time in 55 years

An Indian team will travel to Pakistan for a Davis Cup tie in September – the first time in 55 years.

The nuclear-armed neighbours have gone to war three times since independence in the mid-20th century and another conflict nearly erupted earlier this year, giving an even spicier-than-usual geopolitical backdrop to sporting rivalries.

An Indian tennis team last toured Pakistan in 1964 for Davis Cup when they defeated the hosts 4-0, while Pakistan lost 3-2 in their last visit in 2006 in Mumbai.

All India Tennis Association (AITA) Secretary General Hironmoy Chatterjee: Our team will be going to Pakistan for Davis Cup. We have got the invitation letters, now we will apply for visa. Team selection has not been done yet, it’ll start on 5 Aug. Our team will go around 10 Sept

India’s cricket team has not toured Pakistan since 2007 and bilateral cricketing ties between them have remained suspended since 2008.

Relations further soured in February this year after a suicide car bombing killed at least 40 Indian paramilitary police in Indian-controlled Kashmir, placing question marks over the Asia/Oceania Group 1 tie, which will be held on Sept. 14-15 in Islamabad.

“It’s not a bilateral series, it’s the World Cup of tennis. So no government clearance was required,” AITA Secretary General Hironmoy Chatterjee told Reuters.

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