Cricket: England to play in Pakistan for first time since 2005

England’s cricketers will tour Pakistan next year after a gap of more than 15 years, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced on Wednesday, as international cricket gradually returns to the South Asian nation since the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team bus.

England will play two Twenty20 internationals in Karachi on October 14 and 15 – the first time they have played on Pakistan soil since 2005.

“This will be the first time since 2005 that an England team has toured Pakistan and as such it represents a significant moment for both nations,” said ECB CEO Tom Harrison in a statement.

“As always, the safety and welfare of our players and staff will be paramount. We are working closely with the PCB to ensure all the necessary plans are in place, especially concerning the anticipated levels of security around the team, the proposed travel protocols and of course the situation regarding the fast-moving and ever-changing COVID-19 pandemic,” Harrison added.

England played Pakistan in 2012 and 2015 in the United Arab Emirates.

The short tour will serve as a build-up to the Twenty20 World Cup in India that is scheduled to start the same month.

Pakistan have hosted Sri Lanka and Bangladesh for tests, and Zimbabwe for limited-overs matches since December 2019, having used Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi as home venues since the bus attack.