The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the dates for New Zealand’s “dual tours” to Pakistan on Monday.
From December 27 to January 15, the Blackcaps will play two Tests as part of their World Test Championship title defence and three World Cup Super League matches.
Kane Williamson’s team will play Test matches at Karachi from December 27 to 31 and Multan from January 4 to 8. The squad will then travel to the port city for three ICC Super League games from January 11 to January 15.
Schedule
- Dec 27-31 – 1st Test, Karachi (ICC World Test Championship)
- Jan 4-8 – 2nd Test, Multan (ICC World Test Championship)
- Jan 11 – 1st ODI, Karachi (ICC Super League)
- Jan 13 – 2nd ODI, Karachi (ICC Super League)
- Jan 15 – 3rd ODI, Karachi (ICC Super League)
- Apr 13 – 1st T20I, Karachi
- Apr 15 – 2nd T20I, Karachi
- Apr 16 – 3rd T20I, Karachi
- Apr 19 – 4th T20I, Karachi
- Apr 23 – 5th T20I, Lahore
- Apr 26 – 1st ODI, Lahore
- Apr 28 – 2nd ODI, Lahore
- May 1 – 3rd ODI, Rawalpindi
- May 4 – 4th ODI, Rawalpindi
- May 7 – 5th ODI, Rawalpindi
The test in Karachi will be New Zealand’s first in the city since October 1990.
The second part of the trip will include five T20Is and the same number of ODIs. Karachi will host four T20Is from April 13 to 19, while Lahore will host one T20I and two ODIS from April 23 to 28.
The series will conclude with three one-day internationals in Rawalpindi from May 1-7.
Surprisingly, the Black Caps will end their second leg of their tour in the same city where they unexpectedly cancelled their last concert due to a “security warning.” According to the PCB, the second part of the tour is a “make up” for the cancelled tour.
While discussing the visit, PCB Director Zakir Khan said that New Zealand is one of the high-performing teams and that the matches would allow the kids to continue to observe and follow their favourite players in action.
New Zealand Cricket’s chief executive, David White, said that the squad is looking forward to the two trips.
“The previous visits from Australia and England have left us in no doubt about the strength of the Pakistan squad across all disciplines, as well as the magnitude of the challenge that lies in wait,” he said.
