PCB invites Australia, New Zealand to play in Pakistan this year

In order to open the doors of international cricket in the country, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has requested the Australian and New Zealand boards to send their teams to Pakistan to play the T20 matches instead of UAE.

As per Press Trust of India, PCB Chairman Najam Sethi and COO Subhan Ahmad have held talks with the Australian and New Zealand officials. “The two boards have been requested to play the T20 matches of their series in Pakistan to help support the PCB in bringing back international cricket to the country,” said an official.

Pakistan is scheduled to host Australia for three Test matches and a T20 match in UAE in October, followed by a series of three Tests, five ODIs and three T20 internationals in November against New Zealand.

As per reports, the requests were part of PCB’s plans to bring back international cricket completely in Pakistan. “The PCB is trying to follow a slow and steady process to bring back international cricket fully to Pakistan,” the official said.

The PCB was able to successfully convince the Sri Lankan board to send its team to Lahore last year, to play the final T20 match of a series in UAE, which went off successfully.

Before the Sri Lankan’s visit in late October, the PCB also hosted the ICC World Eleven for a three-match T20 series in Lahore while last month Pakistan played three T20 matches in Karachi against the West Indies.