In the new ICC Future Tours Program, which spans from 2023 to 2027, the Pakistan Cricket Board is working on a scheme to host an annual three-nation T20 series alongside Australia and England.
According to a trustworthy source familiar with the situation, PCB chairman Ramiz Raja is set to present the proposed idea during the ICC meetings slated for Birmingham during the Commonwealth Games.
“The board is working on the plan and it is an alternate to the four-nation annual event which was proposed by Ramiz at the last ICC meeting and which didn’t get the required support from other members and has been shelved,” the source said.
Given the existing political and diplomatic relations between Pakistan and India, as well as the Indian Cricket Board’s lukewarm response to the four-nation proposal, the PCB has now omitted India from their new plan, leaving only Australia and England.
“The logistics and ways to find a short window for the tri-series will be worked out soon and Ramiz feels it can be done on an annual basis.”
The source said that Ramiz might also use any request from the Indian board to expand the window for its IPL at the ICC meeting to also successfully sell his tri series proposal.
“Ramiz has good personal relations with BCCI chief Saurav Ganguly and other board heads and he is quietly confident the tri-series plan can be executed by next year.”
The source said Ramiz had pushed the idea with the top officials of the ECB and Cricket Australia when they were in Pakistan and the response was positive.
“Ramiz firmly believes that bilateral series don’t appear to have a very bright future in the new FTP.”
7-Match T20I Series Between Pakistan And England
According to reports, Lahore and Karachi will host the 7-match T20 International (T201) series between the Pakistan National Cricket Team and the England National Cricket Team.
Originally, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) planned to stage the seven-match T201 series between Pakistan and England at a variety of locations, including smaller stadiums such as Faisalabad and Multan, but the plan has been scrapped, according to a report.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has now chosen to hold all seven games of the T201 series at two or three major sites, shortly ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.
Meanwhile, a source confirms that a preliminary draught of sites and dates has been provided to England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).