India plans to issue 10,000 visas to Pakistani fans to witness the first Test match in Mohali in Punjab, which borders Pakistan. The match between the two great cricketing rivals starts on March 8, part of a tour that involves three tests and six one-day internationals in India.

Northern Railways spokesman Rajiv Saxena told Reuters the state-owned network will run two trains each on March 6 and 7 from Attari, the nearest Indian rail link to the India-Pakistan border in Punjab.

"We expect them to be full. I don't think there will be any space left," Saxena said.

The trains will go to Chandigarh, a town which lies adjacent to Mohali.

Indian railways says each train will have a capacity of 1,000 passengers and they will also go from from Chandigarh to Attari on March 12 and 13 after the five-day match ends.

Officials said many Pakistani fans will cross the border either by bus or the regular Samjhauta Express train from Pakistan that stops at Attari after crossing the border.

Relations between India and Pakistan, which have fought three wars, have improved in the past 15 months and sporting, diplomatic, commercial and travel links have been strengthened.

Some 8,000 Indian fans who visited Pakistan last year during a hugely popular tour by the Indian cricket team were given a very warm welcome.

The Pakistan side have already arrived in India and are playing a three-day warm-up match against a first-class side in the northern hill state of Himachal Pradesh.