With Sri Lanka refusing to tour Pakistan later this year, Abu Dhabi and Dubai could once again end up hosting Pakistan’s Test and ODI series in October this year.
The UAE, which has so often in the recent past staged Pakistan’s home matches here in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, could also stage the Pakistan-England Test and ODI series next January if the Emirates Cricket Board’s costing for the two tours is to the Pakistan Cricket Board’s liking.
Both Abu Dhabi and Dubai are currently working out the costing to jointly stage the two series, Gulf News quoted Dilawar Mani, CEO of ECB, as saying. Mani was further quoted: “The PCB has requested us to prepare costing for the Pakistan-Sri Lanka series in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in October as well as for the Pakistan-England series at the end of January, again the venues being Abu Dhabi and Dubai.” Both the Pakistan-Sri Lanka series as well as the Pakistan-England series will comprise three Test matches, five ODIs and one T20 international.
Sri Lanka Cricket’s interim committee Chairman Somachandra de Silva recently confirmed that Sri Lanka was not going to play in Pakistan and instead had offered to host the series in Sri Lanka (if costs were paid) or play in the UAE. “The request has come from the PCB and Abu Dhabi and Dubai, under the Emirates Cricket Board, will be sending the costing. I am trying to ensure that the Abu Dhabi side’s costing is ready by next week. I am going to Dubai on Sunday,” Mani said. “We will try and be as cost-effective as possible. Obviously, it is a cost to Pakistan but we will try and save them as much cost as possible. We will try and make it worth their while to come and play here,” he added. “They could play in Sri Lanka, but that is an option. Obviously, the PCB will compare the costing. Of course, here they will get immense amount of crowds and so will the Sri Lankan team.
That will be great,” said Mani. The Zayed International Cricket Stadium is likely to stage two Tests and three ODIs while Dubai will get to stage one Test, two ODIs and the T20 international. Additional matches for the Pakistan-England series include a warm-up game and two practice one-dayers, according to the ECB chief. “PCB’s request came last week and we should be submitting our costs within a couple of weeks,” Mani said.
