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Karachi: On Tuesday, August 28, 2018, PCB announced the schedule for the match series against New Zealand and Australia. It is to be played in the United Arab Emirates. The matches are spread over a span of three months, September, October, and November.
In May 2018, PCB requested the Australian and New Zealand to send their teams to Pakistan instead of UAE. Pakistan wished to conduct the t20 matches of the series in their homeland.
The terrorist attacks on Sri Lanka cricket team in March 2009 closed the door on international cricket in Pakistan. Since then Pakistan has been playing their home matches in UAE.
In 2017, PCB had also convinced Sri Lanka Cricket to send off their team for a T20 match in Pakistan. They agreed, and the match was played successfully.
Later that year, Pakistan also hosted a match with the team of World XI, which included mighty cricket names. Including Morne Morkel, Darren Sammy, Hashim Amla, David Miller, Faf du Plessis, Quinton de Kock, Thisara Perera, Samuel Badree, Imran Tahir and Tim Paine.
‘The PCB is trying a slow and steady strategy for the revival of International cricket in Pakistan’ said an official.
However, the cricket boards of New Zealand and Australia were reluctant but agreed to consider the choice. New Zealand Played their last match in Pakistan in 2003, whereas Australian Cricket has not visited Pakistan since 1998. Later they decided to not take a risk due to security reasons and emphasized on holding the series in UAE.
PCB has put forth the plan, it starts with Asia Cup in September. Then Pakistan will host Australia for two test matches and three T20s from 7 to 28 October.
Australia will play the first test series after the ball-tampering scandal in a match again South Africa in Cape Town.
Pakistan will then host New Zealand for three T20s, three ODIs and three test series from October 31 to December 7.
