ECB To Send Its Second String Side To Pakistan For A 3-Match T20I Series In January 2021: Ehsan Mani

Ehsan Mani, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, has stated that the England and Wales Cricket Board [ECB] will be sending its second-string side to tour the country for a three-match T20I series early next year.

According to a report in Times, the ECB is considering to tour Pakistan for a short white-ball series in January 2021 after having received a proposal from the PCB to tour the terror-ravaged country.

With England set to tour Sri Lanka in January 2021, Ehsan Mani said that a second-string English team will travel to Pakistan in a bid to send a ‘worldwide message’ to the rest of the cricketing nations that Pakistan is indeed ‘safe’ to play cricket.

“Main team of England will be in Sri Lanka but they’ll be touring Pakistan for T20Is at the same time to send worldwide message that Pakistan is safe country to play cricket. Top officials of England will be coming to Pakistan during tour,” Ehsan Mani was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.

England have not toured Pakistan since 2005

If England does tour in January 2021, it will be the first time in 15 years that they will travel to Pakistan for a bilateral series. England last toured Pakistan in the winter of 2005. Internatonal cricket stalled in Pakistan after the 2009 terror attacks on the Sri Lankan team but in the past 12-18 months, PCB have made concerted efforts to lure international teams back in Pakistan.

Last year, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh travelled to Pakistan for full tours while Zimbabwe is currently in the country for a series of three ODIs and as many T20Is. Moreover, Pakistan was one of the four nations to visit England for their home summer amidst the Covid-19 pandemic where they took part in a three-match Test series and as many T20Is.

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