Pakistan set for Zimbabwe tour
Pakistan’s national cricket team is likely to tour Zimbabwe in November ahead of their much anticipated series against India after the subcontinent rivals revived their relations recently.
Initially, Pakistan were expected in Zimbabwe for a bilateral series as a part of Internaional Cricket Council (ICC)’s future tours programme from December 22 for two Tests, three ODIs and two T20 Internationals, the same time they were expected in India.
Zimbabwe Cricket committee chairman Alistair Campbell admitted in an interview with PCN told that both ZC and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) were now in negotiations to map the way forward.
“You are aware that India and Pakistan revived their bilateral cricketing relations and are expected to play each other in December.
In this case obviously the India/Pakistan series would take precedence which means they will no longer be coming in December.
“We are currently in negotiations with the PCB to see if we can agree on the dates which means it could either be moved to November or pushed back to next year.
“At the moment nothing has been signed as we are yet to reach an agreement and the official position will be announced soon.
We are also hoping that the national side will play a couple of matches before going to the Twenty20 World Cup, but we will only name the team next week after we conclude the negotiations,”Campbell said.
While, according to Campbell an agreement is yet to be reached, according to reports in Pakistan, the PCB has already settled for November when both countries don’t have any other commitments.
After playing Australia in an ODI series in the United Arab Emirates from August 28, Pakistan will go to Sri Lanka for the ICC T20 World Cup.
“Apparently, the PCB decided to go ahead with the Zimbabwe tour because of the lack of international commitments for the national team after the ICC World Cup," a PCB source was quoted in the Pakistani Press early this week. The source said the decision to tour Zimbabwe was also part of the PCB's strategy to support the weak members of the International Cricket Council.
Pakistan toured Zimbabwe towards the end of August to September last year, completing a clean sweep in the lone Test match, the three-match ODI series and the two Twenty20 matches.
© 2012 Pakistan Cricket News - PCN
