Saturday, April 26, 2008, Rabi-ul-Sani 19, 1429    

NZ confirm three-match cricket series in Pakistan

Karachi—New Zealand have given a go-ahead to a three-match one-day series against Pakistan agreeing to the hosts’ proposal, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced Friday.

“New Zealand will play three one-day matches in late August in Pakistan. The first match will be played at Multan on August 24 while the remaining two games will be played at Faisalabad on August 27 and 30,” said a PCB announcement.

The one-day series will also allow the Black Caps to warm up for the Champions Trophy to be staged in Pakistan from 11-28 September.

It will be New Zealand’s first visit to Pakistan in six years. They were forced to cut short a tour of Pakistan after a suicide bomb blast outside their team hotel in Karachi in May 2002 which killed 14 people, including 11 French naval staff.

The news is a further fillip for Pakistan following Australia’s acceptance to reschedule their postponed tour in 2009 and 2010.

Australia had postponed their tour, originally scheduled for March and April this year, owing to security concerns arising from suicide bombings in Pakistan.