Pakistan to tour England next year

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Wednesday announced the schedule of men’s team tour of England for next year, says a PCB release.

The five-week tour — July 30 till September 2 — will see Pakistan take on England in three Tests and as many T20Is.

The Test series will be Pakistan’s last World Test Championship assignment in their 2019-20 season after they host Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in October and January with a tour of Australia in between.

The three T20Is come up with an opportunity to prepare for the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia in October 2020.

The tour will kick off with a Test at the Lord’s, where Pakistan came out victorious in their last two matches in the format in 2016 and 2018.

Pakistan, since 2016, have visited England every year. They toured the British Isles in 2017 for the ICC Champions Trophy and returned home with the prestigious silverware. In 2018, they toured England for a two-match Test series, which was drawn 1-1.

England’s return tour of Pakistan will be in 2022. The three-match ODI series is scheduled for October and the three Tests will be held in December.

PCB Director (international cricket) Zakir Khan said: “This tour holds special significance since this will be Pakistan’s first-ever tour of England for World Test Championship matches.”

Schedule: 1st Test: July 30-August 3, Lord’s, London.

2nd Test: August 7-11, Old Trafford, Manchester.

3rd Test: August 20-24, Trent Bridge, Nottingham.

1st T20I: August 29, Headingley, Leeds.

2nd T20I: August 31, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.

3rd T20I: September 2, Ageas Bowl, Southampton.