Board of Control for Cricket in India president Jagmohan Dalmiya declared that the Indian cricket team would be playing Pakistan in the upcoming Asia Cup cricket tournament and "there is nothing new to it".

"The Indian government has already allowed us to participate in multi-lateral tournaments. We are playing Pakistan in the World Cup. We are also taking part in the Asia Cup and there is nothing new in it," he said, reacting to Asian Cricket Council development manager Zakir Syed Hussain's statement in Islamabad that the Pakistan Cricket Board received a communication from the BCCI in this regard.

Dalmiya said since Pakistan are not staging the tournament there is no problem with the Indian team participating in it.

Though the dates are yet to be decided, the tournament is likely to be held either in Sri Lanka or Bangladesh.

Besides the four Test-playing nations in the region -- India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh -- the tournament will also see Hong Kong and UAE participate for the first time.