India's potential
Davis Cup
forfeit in Pakistan looms as the
All India Tennis Association
(
AITA
) revealed on Thursday that the team is awaiting government approval for travel.
Given the historical conflicts between the nuclear-armed neighbours since gaining independence from British rule in 1947, sports competitions between India and Pakistan have often fallen victim to their animosity.
AITA has sought approval from the
sports ministry
to travel to Pakistan after the
International Tennis Federation
tribunal rejected a request to relocate the fixture to a third country.
"The proposal is still pending with the ministry and we are awaiting a decision," AITA secretary-general Anil Dhupar told AFP.
The World Group 1 clash is scheduled for February 3-4.
Sports matches between India and Pakistan are rare owing to decades of hostility between the two nations.
They share one of the world's great sporting rivalries in cricket, by far the most popular sport in both countries.
But their teams have not played a bilateral series in more than a decade, and typically only face each other in larger tournaments.
India refused to travel to Pakistan for the 50-over Asia Cup in September, a move that forced its neighbour to partially relinquish hosting duties to Sri Lanka.
Pakistan travelled to India the following month for the Cricket World Cup after its request to stage some matches in a third country was rejected.
(With AFP inputs)
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