MUMBAI: The suspense is finally over for Ten Sports and it can now get down to planning telecast details for India's tour to Pakistan.

The Indian cricket team will tour Pakistan between 10 March and April 17, playing three Tests and five One-Day Internationals, the Board of Cricket Control in Indian (BCCI) chief Jagmohan Dalmiya announced in Kolkata today.

In one area however, there has been a change in itinerary. Belying expectations to the contrary, the 39-day long series, the first full-fledged one by India in over 14 years, will begin first with the one-dayers and then will be followed by the Tests.

Asked why the one-dayers preceded the Test series, Dalmiya said there were two reasons for holding the limited-over series first.

"The team has come from Australia after a one-day series so it would be easier for them to adjust. We understand the importance of the elections and drew up the itinerary so that there is minimum interference with the election process," Dalmiya was quoted in media reports as saying.

Three Indian security officials would accompany the team -- one chief security liaison officer and two assistant liaison officers. 

Itinerary:

March 10    Indian team departs for Lahore
March 11    Warm-up one-day match
March 13    First one-day international at Karachi
March 16    Second one-day international at Rawalpindi
March 19    Third one-day international at Peshawar
March 21    Fourth one-day international at Lahore
March 24    Fifth one-day international at Lahore
March 28-April 1    First Test at Multan
April 5-9    Second Test at Lahore
April 13-17    Third Test at Rawalpindi
April 18    Indian team returns home