Pakistan will tour England next year for three Tests, which will be part of the World Test Championship, it was announced on Wednesday (August 21). The tour will also consist of three T20Is and will start with the Test series on July 3.
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The first Test will be played at Lord’s while the second Test will be held in Manchester (from August 7) and the final game will be hosted at Trent Bridge from August 20. The three T20Is will be played on August 29, 31 and September 2 in Leeds, Cardiff and Southampton.
It was also confirmed that England’s return tour in 2022 will be played in October (3 ODIs) and in December (3 Tests). “This tour holds special significance since this will be Pakistan’s first-ever tour of England for World Test Championship matches,” Zakir Khan, PCB’s director of International cricket, said.
“A tour of England tests the skills and limits of the visiting sides and I anticipate this tour to help Pakistan furnish their red-ball skills and also prepare them for the all-important ICC T20 World Cup in Australia latter in 2020.
“The PCB and the English and Wales Cricket Board enjoy an amicable relationship and this being Pakistan’s third bilateral tour of England in the last four years perfectly mirrors it. In 2010, the ECB provided the PCB facilities to host Australia in a two-match Test series.”
Late start to England’s home season
England’s home 2020 international home calendar begins with the visit of West Indies, who will play three Tests at The Oval, Edgbaston and Lord’s starting on June 4. The late start to the season, however, will not necessarily translate into full IPL seasons for England’s Test regulars with ECB set to offer lucrative central contracts that’ll necessitate participation in the early stages of the County Championship.
Sandwiched between the visits of West Indies and Pakistan, England will play a white-ball series against Australia in July comprising three T20Is and an equal number of ODIs. The season will close with a further three ODIs against Ireland.
England home season, 2020
vs West Indies
- June 4-8 – 1st Test, The Oval
- June 12-16 – 2nd Test, Edgbaston
- June 25-29 – 3rd Test, Lord’s
vs Australia
- July 3 – 1st T20I, Edgbaston
- July 5 – 2nd T20I, Old Trafford
- July 7 – 3rd T20I, Headingley
- July 11 – 1st ODI, Lord’s
- July 14 – 2nd ODI, Ageas Bowl
- July 16 – 3rd ODI, Bristol
vs Pakistan
- July 30 – 1st Test, Lord’s
- August 7 – 2nd Test, Old Trafford
- August 20 – 3rd Test, Trent Bridge
- August 29 – 1st T20I, Headingley
- August 31 – 2nd T20I, Cardiff
- September 2 – 3rd T20I, Ageas Bowl
vs Ireland
- September 10 – 1st ODI, Trent Bridge
- September 12 – 2nd ODI, Edgbaston
- September 15 – 3rd ODI, The Oval
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