Cricket: South Africa to tour Pakistan for first time in 14 years

South African cricket team will tour Pakistan for the first time in 14 years when it plays two ICC World Test Championship matches and a Twenty20 series starting next month.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Wednesday the first Test will be played in Karachi from January 26 and the second in Rawalpindi from February 4.

The three-match T20 series will follow in Lahore on February 11, 13 and 14.

South Africa last toured Pakistan in 2007, winning the two-Test series 1-0.

Pakistan hosted South Africa in the United Arab Emirates in 2010 and 2013, as foreign teams had security reservations over visiting Pakistan.

“The home series against South Africa will complete the process for full resumption and restoration of international cricket in Pakistan, which started in 2015,” PCB Director of International Cricket Zakir Khan said in a statement.

Several South African cricketers have toured Pakistan over the last three years. Captain Faf du Plessis led a World XI team there in 2017 and returned the following year to play in the Pakistan Super League play-off.

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The PCB has lined up several foreign teams in 2021, including New Zealand, England and West Indies.

“If these high-profile and exciting series are topped up with the Asia Cup 2021 and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, Pakistan cricket fans can brace themselves for an exciting and action-packed year,” Khan said.

A Cricket South Africa security delegation toured Pakistan a few weeks ago to get first-hand knowledge of the security situation there.

“The report on their findings and recommendations gives us confidence as an organisation that all of our team’s security, playing and accommodation needs will be met and that the wellbeing of the team will be the top priority,” CSA director of cricket Graeme Smith said in a statement.

“We look forward to embarking on this historical tour.”

SOURCE : NEWS AGENCIES