Pakistan will push for sanctions against India for refusing to play Test matches against it when the Executive Board of the International Cricket Council meets in Johannesburg later this week, a top official told AFP on Sunday.

"We want the matter to be taken up seriously because India's refusal to play us is hurting the game in the region," Pakistan Cricket Board director Chishty Mujahid said.

The Executive Board will meet in Johannesburg on Saturday, a day before the World Cup final at the Wanderers.

The Indian government banned bilateral cricket with Pakistan since June 2000 in protest against Islamabad's support of cross-border terrorism in Kashmir.

But both teams face each other in multi-nation events like the current World Cup where India and Pakistan played in the preliminary league at Centurion on March 1. The match passed off smoothly as India recorded a six-wicket win.

India is scheduled to tour Pakistan for a three-Test series next month, but the visit is unlikely to take place.

India are committed to playing a tri-series in mid-April featuring South Africa and the hosts.

Under the 10-year Test programme of the ICC, India and Pakisan are scheduled to play four series till 2010.

Indian cricket chief Jagmohan Dalmiya had earlier this month urged the government to allow the April tour of Pakistan to go ahead to prevent India from being isolated on the world stage.

"If India do not play against Pakistan, the equilibrium of world cricket will be severely affected because the world Test championship cannot be decided," Dalmiya wrote to sports minister Vikram Verma.

India last played a Test match in Pakistan in January 1990, while Pakistan toured India in 1999.

Pakistan's hopes of organising a tri-series with England and Zimbabwe next month to fill the void left by India did not bear fruit, Mujahid said.

"Both teams have told us they are not free next month," he said.