KARACHI: Praising the efforts of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in reviving bilateral series, former Pakistan’s skipper and all-rounder Shahid Afridi said the popularity of the India-Pakistan series is bigger than the Ashes.

Pakistan’s current captain Misbah-ul-Haq said that fans from both sides of the border are always eager to watch cricket matches between the two arch-rivals.

Pakistan will be playing three One-day Internationals (ODIs) and two Twenty20s against traditional rivals India in December this year.

“The series between Pakistan and India is more popular than the Ashes series between Australia and England,” Afridi was quoted as saying.

"The matches between Pakistan and India are widely followed and people throughout the world are greatly interested in their matches," he added.

"The pressure is great when we play against India but it is also more thrilling," Afridi said.

This will be the first bilateral series between the two teams since Pakistan toured India in 2007.

"It will be a great a spectacle for the cricket fans when the two sides face each other,” said Misbah-ul-Haq.