PCB unveils schedule of England's T20I tour of Pakistan

England will be visiting Pakistan for seven T20Is from 20 September to 2 October which will be played in Karachi and Lahore. What makes the occasion even more special is that the Three Lions would be visiting Pakistan for the first time after 17 years. The news has been officially confirmed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on their social media handles.

As far as the venues are concerned, Karachi’s National Stadium will be hosting the first four games on September 20, 22, 23, and 25 while the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will host the final three matches on September 28 as well as 30 and October 2. The kick-off time for all the seven T20Is will be 7:30 PM PKT.

🗓️ 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬

📢 Great news for fans as Pakistan are set to host England after 17 years! 📢

Read more: https://t.co/iyz8N2ZEMu#PAKvENG pic.twitter.com/WX0RkoOwWx

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 2, 2022

Pakistan to host England in seven T20Is

England were scheduled to tour Pakistan last year for a bilateral limited-overs series in order to prepare for the T20 World Cup 2021, but the ECB called off the tour at the last moment citing the physical and mental well-being of the players due to strict COVID-19 bio-bubbles. The announcement was made just days after New Zealand Cricket (NZC) had backed out from playing a bilateral white-ball series in the country due to security reasons.

After that incident, the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) as well as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in a mutual agreement decided to schedule a seven-match bilateral T20I series in Pakistan in mid-2022.  This series would help both sides in preparing for the T20 World Cup down under in October.

England will then return to Pakistan after the T20 World Cup

“We are absolutely delighted to confirm hosting England for seven T20Is in Karachi and Lahore as a curtain-raiser to a busy, entertaining and exciting season of home internationals. England is one of the top-ranked T20I teams and them playing the shortest format in the lead up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Pakistan will not only help the team management to finalise their preparations, but will also set the tone for December’s three-Test series,” said Zakir Khan, PCB Director International Cricket while speaking in a PCB press release.

“We demonstrated our event planning and operational skills in the highly-successful series against Australia in March/April and I am confident we will be able to replicate these when England visit us for the first time since 2005. We have been able to confirm schedule of the T20Is following a successful tour by the England and Wales Cricket Board recce team, which was pleased and satisfied with all our arrangements,” he added.

“I am confident that the cricket fans, like they did in the series against Australia, will turn up in big numbers to support both the sides and also make our Diamond Jubilee celebration year an unforgettable one,” the statement further read.

Schedule: 

Tuesday, 20 Sep – 1st T20I, Karachi

Thursday, 22 Sep – 2nd T20I, Karachi

Friday, 23 Sep – 3rd T20I, Karachi

Sunday, 25 Sep – 4th T20I, Karachi

Wednesday, 28 Sep – 5th T20I, Lahore

Friday, 30 Sep – 6th T20I, Lahore

Sunday, 2 Oct – 7th T20I, Lahore