Pakistan to play home series against England in Dubai

Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board today announced the detailed itinerary for Team England’s home tour 2015 to be played in the United Arab Emirates. The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed the schedule in a simultaneous press release from London.

The series consists of three Tests, four ODIs and three T20 Internationals. The tour commences with England featuring in a brace of two-day games against Pakistan ‘A’ at Sharjah, followed by three Test matches at Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah and four ODIs; the rubber culminates with three T20Is at Dubai and Sharjah.

England are scheduled to arrive in the United Arab Emirates on September 30 and depart on December 1, 2015.

The first Test will take place in Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Cricket Stadium between October 13 and 17; the second Test will be hosted at Dubai Cricket Stadium from October 22 to the 26 and the third Test from November 1 to 5 at Sharjah Cricket Club.

One day internationals are scheduled for November 11 and 13 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, November 17 at Sharjah Cricket Club and November 20 at Dubai Cricket Club.

England will play one T20 match against a UAE XI at Zayed Cricket Stadium on November 23, before two T20 Internationals matches against Pakistan at Dubai Cricket Club on November 26 and 27. The series will conclude with the third and final 20/20 International against Pakistan on November 30 at Sharjah Cricket Club.

Welcoming England, Shaharyar Muhammad Khan, Chairman PCB, said: “We are most happy to be hosting England for the first series of our home season 2015-16. Like ever, with few exceptions since 1954, we expect this bilateral series to produce cricket of a very high standard. As is evident from its away wins in Sri Lanka, Team Pakistan is upwardly mobile and we hope that it would maintain this trajectory against England across the three formats.”

Commenting on the series, Tom Harrison, Chief Executive of the ECB said, “We are pleased to have agreed the schedule for this series with the Pakistan Cricket Board. Our last tour to UAE saw Pakistan win the Test series while we were victorious in both the ODI and T20 series. We expect this autumn’s tour will be equally hard fought and we trust that as many England fans as possible will make the trip to UAE to show their support for the team.”

The schedule:

Pakistan v England in UAE 2015

30 September: England Team arrive

5-6 October: 2-day match v Pakistan ‘A’, Sharjah CC

8-9 October: 2-day match v Pakistan ‘A’, Sharjah CC

13-17 October: 1st Test at ZCS, Abu Dhabi

22-26 October: 2nd Test at Dubai Cricket Stadium, Dubai

1-5 November: 3rd Test, Sharjah CC

8 November: 1-day practice match, ZCS, Abu Dhabi

11 November: 1st ODI D/N, ZCS, Abu Dhabi

13 November: 2nd ODI D/N, ZCS, Abu Dhabi

17 November: 3rd ODI D/N, Sharjah CC

20 November: 4th ODI D/N, Dubai Cricket Stadium

23 November: T20 v UAE XI, ZCS, Abu Dhabi

26 November: 1st T20I, Dubai Cricket Stadium

27 November: 2nd T20I, Dubai Cricket Stadium

30 November: 3rd T20I, Sharjah CC

1 December: England depart UAE