Sri Lanka given go ahead for tour

Mahela Jayawardene and his Sri Lanka team are currently in Bangladesh

Sri Lanka will tour Pakistan next month after being granted permission by the Sri Lankan government.

The Sri Lanka tour replaces a visit by India, who cancelled their series following the Mumbai terror attacks.

The tour will go ahead following discussions between Sri Lanka's foreign minister Rohitha Bogollagama and president Mahinda Rajapakse.

The Sri Lanka foreign ministry said sport was "a good way of enhancing friendship and mutual goodwill".

Last week, Sri Lanka Cricket, the sport's governing body which was dissolved on Tuesday by the government, said they had agreed to take India's place.

The tour will run from 20 January to 25 February 2009, with Test matches planned for Karachi, Lahore and Multan, while Karachi is also set to host two one-day internationals.

The remaining ODIs are likely to be played in Lahore.

India pulled out of their tour on advice from their government following November's terror attacks in Mumbai.