Pak cricketers may have short tour of SA

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has initiated fresh efforts to engage national cricketers this summer as negotiations are on to take a short trip to South Africa before the summer Test series against England.

A well-placed source confirmed to The News that Pakistan cricket team may well go on to tour South Africa for short limited overs series somewhere in April-May. “Efforts are on to keep Pakistan team engaged even after the Pakistan Super League (PSL) that ends towards last half of March. We are in negotiations with South Africa Cricket Board in an effort to organize short limited overs tour,” a PCB official when approached, said.

He confirmed that though negotiations were at early stage chances were there for a short trip to South Africa in April. South Africa are currently hosting India for Test and limited overs series. This series would be followed by Australian Test tour to South Africa that starts with the opening Test on March 1 and ends up with fourth Test starting from March 30 to April 3 at Wanderers. The series does not have limited overs matches. Thus Pakistan- South Africa limited overs series could well be organized anytime in April filling in that gap left by the Australian Test series.

“South African Board wanted to have a limited overs series after the Test series against Australia. Pakistan are negotiating to fill that gap,” said the official.Pakistan are scheduled to travel to England in May-June to play two Test matches. The first Test will be held at Lord’s starting from May 24 at Lord’s followed by the second Test at Headingly from June 1.

Meanwhile, the negotiations with the West Indies Cricket Board are in final stages for reciprocal tours with the first engagement starting in Pakistan late March.West India in all probabilities would play three T20 matches in Pakistan on March 29, 31 and on April 1.

“West Indies Cricket Board wants Pakistan to make a return tour to the country this summer playing T20 and one-dayers in the process. Both countries have agreed in principle on these adjustments,” the official said.

He said that expected matches would not be apart from the Future Tour Programme. “We want to have a longer duration adjustments with West Indies Board. These trips so far have not been made part of the FTP announced by the ICC for the duration starting from 2019-223.”