The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced that on December 1 in Rawalpindi, England will begin their first red-ball tour of Pakistan since 2005.
The dates for the England Test team’s trip to Pakistan three months later have now been confirmed. Earlier this month, it was announced that England would visit Pakistan for the first time in 17 years for a seven-match T20 series in September.
Since 2005, when Michael Vaughan’s Ashes-winning team lost a 3-2 series, security concerns have prevented England from visiting Pakistan.
But Brendon McCullum’s red-ball side will now face Pakistan in a three-match series before the end of the year, travelling to Multan and Karachi after playing their first ever Test match in Rawalpindi.
The contests will follow on from a camp in Abu Dhabi, which will begin on November 18 and will take in a three-day warm-up match against the Lions at the Zayed Cricket Complex.
🚨 England’s first Test series in Pakistan in 17 years 🚨
Mark the dates for the matches in Rawalpindi, Multan and Karachi ðŸŸï¸ðŸ—“ï¸
Read more: https://t.co/fM4QMQ55d1#PAKvENG | #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/rJmh5WcWHe
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 22, 2022
Clare Connor, the ECB’s interim chief executive officer, said: “The return of our men’s Test team to Pakistan for the first time since 2005 will be an historic occasion.
“The opportunity to play Test cricket in front of passionate cricket-lovers in Pakistan after such a long time is something to be cherished.
“We have been working closely with the PCB over recent months and I am grateful to them for everything they have done, and continue to do, to make our Test and T20 tours a mouth-watering prospect for all involved.”
The PCB’s director of international cricket Zakir Kahn added: “We are pleased that the Pakistan and England Test rivalry, which has historically produced close and tight matches, will return to our backyards in December.
“Both the sides have evolved since they last played in Pakistan in 2005 and have recently been playing entertaining and exciting cricket.
“I remain confident this series will live up to the expectations of the global cricket fans who want to watch and enjoy competitive and thrilling matches.”
Before England can switch their focus to the trip to Pakistan, they must find a way to overturn a 1-0 deficit in their ongoing three-match series against South Africa, having been thrashed within three days at Lord’s last week.
Source:livescore.com