Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief –Najam Sethi has confirmed on Sunday that the three-match T20 International series against the West Indies will be played in Karachi next month.
PCB has also announced the schedule of the Windies T20 series. The first T20I will be played on 1 April followed by the second and third on 2 and 4 April respectively. Pakistan fans are desperate for cricket to return to the country and this T20I series will hopefully start the trend.
Pakistan has not hosted any international team since a 2009 terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus and in this accident total eight people were killed and left seven visiting players injured.
Although, Pakistan hosted Zimbabwe for two T20I and three One-Day Internationals in 2015 to end the 6-year suspension of all international cricket in the country, but last year's final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), three T20 internationals against a World XI and a T20 international match against Sri Lanka helped convince the West Indies to play here.
There are also plans for Sri Lanka to play one of their upcoming T20 internationals in Lahore in November.
As per AFP, Sethi told reporters in Dubai on the sidelines of the PSL 2018, “It's a good news that West Indies have confirmed three Twenty20 internationals to be played in Karachi on April 1, 2 and 4.”
Earlier, Lahore was announced to host the West Indies T20Is, but the PCB was encouraged to host the matches in Karachi after the venue was declared safe by international security experts last month.
Karachi will also host the grand finale of the ongoing third edition of the PSL 2018 on March 25, while Lahore will host two playoffs on March 20 and 21.
Sethi further added, “That is how we intend to put Karachi back on cricket map once again. PSL final and now three more games for Karachi as per routine. Karachi people should welcome this.”
He also said that the PCB is also in talks with West Indies Cricket Board for a Twenty20 tri-series, featuring Bangladesh as well, in the United States.
Sethi signed off by saying, “While West Indies tour to Pakistan is a one-off series, we are also in consultation with the WIC on a tri-series, also involving Bangladesh in first year, for a period of five years.”
