KARACHI: With an eye to prepare the team in the best possible way ahead of next year’s ICC World Cup, Pakistan will play a short three-match away ODI series against New Zealand.
A senior official of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) told PTI that they got confirmation from New Zealand Cricket (NZC) for the three ODIs which will be played in early February just before the World Cup to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
“We had requested New Zealand Cricket to arrange the unscheduled short series as we wanted our team to get some practice in familiar conditions before the World Cup and they have now agreed,” the PCB official said.
Pakistan’s only World Cup title came way back in 1992 under Imran Khan in Australia and New Zealand.
The official said that Pakistani players will get a couple of month’s rest after the upcoming ICC World T20 in Bangladesh.
“We have no international series scheduled between April and September so that the players can spend time with their families as after September the schedule is packed until the World Cup,” he said.
He said Pakistan would play back-to-back home series against Australia, New Zealand and Zimbabwe in the United Arab Emirates from October to January before going to New Zealand for the short series.
“Players are usually complaining about not being able to spend time with their families so this time we felt we should give them a proper break from international cricket although some players might go to play county cricket and other foreign leagues,” he added.
The PCB official said that since no Pakistani player would be involved in the Indian Premier League, the rest would be a well deserved one.
PTI

KR Desk