Pakistan-England matches to have near-capacity crowds

ISLAMABAD: A near to capacity crowd is expected to enjoy Pakistan-England summer engagements as the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in consultation with the government of the United Kingdom (UK) has allowed packed stadiums having less than 30,000 capacity.

Pakistan are to play three one-dayers and three T20 matches in England starting with the opening one-dayer at Sofia Gardens Cardiff on July 8.

The UK government has decided to allow the ECB to have a maximum of 30,000 spectators for each international match if there is no further outbreak of the Indian variant of Covid-19.

The relaxation will come too late for the forthcoming Test series between England and New Zealand. However, the fresh measures will be in time for the T20 series against Sri Lanka set to start in Cardiff from June 23. Since Wales has a tougher restriction on Covid-19 spread it is likely that the government there will adopt a go-slow policy and initially allow small crowds.

For ECB, the decision has come as a shot in the arm, enabling the Board to make up for an estimated 100 million pounds it had to invest to hold international matches and running the domestic cricket without any earning from crowd and sponsors’ on-ground presence.

Apart from Pakistan’s first one-dayer at Cardiff (Wales), all the matches are to be staged in England, meaning a pack to the capacity crowd is expected at Lord’s (July 10), Edgbaston (July 13) and for three T20s, Trent Bridge (July 16), Headingley (July 18) and Old Trafford (July 20).

Pakistan cricket team plans to fly straight from their expected Pakistan Super League (PSL) commitments in Abu Dhabi on June 21 to go through a quarantine period before starting their summer campaign. If the PSL is postponed, the England-bound squad will directly fly from Pakistan to the UK.

The decision by the UK government will also be a major boost to the newly introduced format ‘Hundred’ which will kick off from June 21.