PCB Announces Itinerary For New Zealand's Tour Of Pakistan In September-October

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), on Thursday, announced the itinerary for New Zealand‘s upcoming historic tour to Pakistan for limited-overs matches. The Kiwis will play 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is ahead of the T20 World Cup on their first tour to Pakistan in 18 years.

The Rawalpindi’s Pindi Cricket Stadium will host the 3-match ODI series; the 3 ODIs, which are part of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League ODIs, will be played on September 17, 19, and 21. Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium will be the venue for the 5 T20Is from 25 September to 3 October.

It also remains to be seen if the New Zealand players will turn in the UAE leg of the IPL, which runs from September 19 to October 15. Before this series, Kane Williamson will lead the side in Bangladesh in 5 T20Is from September 1 to 10.

The Black Caps last toured Pakistan in November 2003 when they were whitewashed in a 5-match ODI series by the hosts. A year before, their last Test appearance in Pakistan was at the Gaddafi Stadium in May 2002. Since 2003, Pakistan have thrice hosted New Zealand in the United Arab Emirates as international teams didn’t travel to Pakistan owing to security concerns.

Now, international cricket has returned to the country. Teams like South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Bangladesh have toured Pakistan in recent years. Now, not only New Zealand, but England, Australia, and West Indies are also scheduled to tour the Asian country in the coming 12 months.

New Zealand’s itinerary for Pakistan tour:

11 Sep – Arrival in Islamabad

12-14 Sep – Room isolation

15-16 Sep – Training/practice/intra-squad match

17 Sep – 1st ODI, Rawalpindi

19 Sep – 2nd ODI, Rawalpindi

21 Sep – 3rd ODI, Rawalpindi

25 Sep – 1st T20I, Lahore

26 Sep – 2nd T20I, Lahore

29 Sep – 3rd T20I, Lahore

1 Oct – 4th T20I, Lahore

3 Oct – 5th T20I, Lahore

 “Series against a top-ranked side like New Zealand will be a perfect start to a mouth-watering and highly-exciting home season of red and white-ball cricket. The 2019 World Cup finalists, who are also the World Test champions and ranked third in T20Is, will draw tremendous attraction and interest from the local fans, and will reinforce Pakistan’s status as a safe and secure country,” PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said in a released statement.

“I am pleased New Zealand Cricket has accepted our offer to play two additional Twenty20 Internationals. These will not only provide extra games to both the countries as part of their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup preparations, but will also allow New Zealand players to spend extra days in Pakistan, familiarise with our culture and enjoy our hospitality.

“With leading cricket playing countries resuming their tours to Pakistan in 2019, I remain confident and optimistic that the 2021-22 season starting with the series against New Zealand will prove to be a catalyst in rejuvenating our talented youngsters while attracting new fans to the game that has the most passionate following in the country,” Wasim Khan added.

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