PCB accepts tri-nation series invite ahead of T20 World Cup 2022

The Pakistan Cricket Board has agreed to play a tri-nation series with Bangladesh and New Zealand prior to the T20 World Cup 2022. Hosts New Zealand proposed the tri-nation series during the ICC meeting and the two nations accepted the invitation to prepare for their stint on the global stage.

The series is set to be scheduled between late September and early October and will be held in Christchurch. The three teams will then play in the ICC World Cup, which begins later in the same month. Bangladesh will train for around a week in Adelaide before traveling for the tri-series in Christchurch. During their camp in Adelaide, they will play a few T20 matches against the Australian domestic team.

Pakistan and Bangladesh will also be a part of the Asia Cup, which is set to take place this year in Sri Lanka, but there have been doubts regarding the same owing to the economic crisis prevailing in the host nation.

Reports suggest that the tri-nation series would be Bangladesh’s last assignment before the T20 World Cup. “The tri-series in New Zealand will be our last international T20 assignment before the ICC WCT20,” BCB cricket operation chairman Jalal Yunus was quoted by Cricbuzz.

Yunus had additionally said that the probability of Pakistan joining as the third team was high. PCB accepted the invitation on Wednesday (May 18) and confirmed the national team’s participation, as per a report by Cricket Pakistan.

All three teams will be a part of the Super 12 league stage in the T20 World Cup

Pakistan’s last international assignment concluded in April this year, when they hosted the Australia for a three-match Test series, followed by a three-match ODI series and a one-off T20I. While the hosts stood victorious in the ODI series, the visitors clinched the Test and T20I games. Pakistan will next be hosting the West Indies for an ODI series in June before flying to Ireland.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh emerged victorious in the ODI series against South Africa but faced a horrific defeat in the Test series in their last international assignment. They are currently facing Sri Lanka in two-match Test series, and will travel to West Indies for an all-format series series.

On the other hand, New Zealand will be facing England in June for three Test matches, followed by their travel to the Ireland for an ODI and a T20I series. They also have games scheduled against Scotland in July this year, followed by the Netherlands series. The tri-nation series will also be the last assignment for the Black Caps before they start with their T20 World Cup campaign.