Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has accepted "in principle" Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's invitation to visit India to watch the India-Pakistan cricket matches and may opt to see a One-Day International (ODI), Dawn newspaper reported on Friday.
The visit would be firmed up soon through diplomatic channels, the paper said quoting informed sources.
Musharraf, an avid follower of cricket, had said in an interview last week that he would love to watch some matches of the India-Pakistan cricket series, but only if he was invited.
The report said the Bangalore Test match starting March 24 had been suggested for the president earlier, but the invitation extended on behalf of Manmohan Singh by Indian High Commissioner Shiv Shankar Menon here on Thursday was "open" for any one match Musharraf chooses to watch.
The Indian envoy formally conveyed the invitation to the foreign office.
"Although the president has not indicated his preference for any specific match, it is learnt that he would rather go for an ODI," the report said. All the six one-day matches are scheduled for next month.
Confirming receipt of the invitation, foreign office spokesman Jalil Abbas Jilani told Dawn on Thursday that the president's schedule was being looked at and a decision would be taken "in due course".
{{/usCountry}}Confirming receipt of the invitation, foreign office spokesman Jalil Abbas Jilani told Dawn on Thursday that the president's schedule was being looked at and a decision would be taken "in due course".
{{/usCountry}}Officials here do not rule out the possibility of Musharraf and Manmohan Singh holding talks during the visit on some "important bilateral issues".