Pakistan likely to visit Zimbabwe in last week of September

LAHORE: Pakistan cricket team is likely to visit Zimbabwe for a limited-overs series in the last week of September after plans for a tri-series involving the West Indies were scrapped, a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official said Wednesday.

“Pakistan will play two Twenty20 internationals in Zimbabwe in September before playing three one-day internationals in October,” said a PCB official.

Earlier, the PCB and the Zimbabwe Cricket Board (ZCB) with mutual understanding had decided to postpone the series as the ZCB was facing difficulties regarding sponsors and broadcasting rights.

The tour comes after Pakistan hosted Zimbabwe in May and June, the first visit to the country by a Test-playing team in six years.

The Africans’ tour was hailed as a breakthrough moment for the revival of international cricket in Pakistan, which was suspended after militants attacked the Sri Lankan team bus in 2009.

It is widely believed the PCB wanted to avoid playing the West Indies to ensure they remained in the world’s top eight teams before the September 30 cut-off for qualification for the 2017 Champions Trophy in England.

Pakistan had moved to eighth place from ninth after beating Sri Lanka 3-2 in a series that ended last week, but risked dropping back down to ninth had they lost to either team

Series schedule

The cricketing authorities in Zimbabwe have issued the schedule for the Pakistan tour starting from September 24 to October 5.

The two sides will play T20s on September 26 and 30 followed by three ODIs in the first week of October–AFP/Geo News