AITA seeks Sports Ministry’s advise on tour to Pakistan

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The All India Tennis Association (AITA) on Tuesday sought the Sports Ministry's advise on the national team's travel to Pakistan for the Davis Cup World Group 1 Play-off tie against the neighbours at Islamabad in February next year. The AITA's move came after the International Tennis Federation Tribunal rejected its request to shift the tie to a neutral venue.

"We have asked for Sports Ministry's advise as to what is the policy on travelling to Pakistan. It's a World Cup of tennis. We are awaiting reply," AITA Secretary General Anil Dhupar told PTI.

Also Read: Davis Cup: Ramkumar Ramanathan to lead India against Pakistan

The tie is scheduled to be played at the Pakistan Sports Complex on February 3 and 4. India and Pakistan were last drawn against each other in 2019 and the tie was scheduled to take place across the border as the Indians had hosted the previous encounter in Mumbai in 2006.

But the AITA managed to shift the tie to a neutral venue, Kazakhstan, citing political tensions between the two countries. The Indian Davis Cup team last travelled to Pakistan way back in 1964 when Akhtar Ali, Premjit Lall and SP Misra helped the visitors win the tie 4-0 in Lahore.

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