Pakistan in talks with Lanka, B’desh
Uncertain about India honouring the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between cricket boards of the two nations, Pakistan have already started working on a contingency plan for winter this year and are in talks with Pakistan and Sri Lanka for a bilateral home series.
As per the MOU signed between the BCCI and PCB, India and Pakistan are scheduled to play a full Test series in December this year.
But with India refusing to play Pakistan in a full bilateral Test series since 2007, the PCB is confident it can host Bangladesh or Sri Lanka in the slot reserved for the series against Virat Kohli and his men.
“Hopefully, we will see either Bangladesh or Sri Lanka in Pakistan this winter,” Najam Sethi, who heads the executive board of the PCB said on Monday.
“We have opened up discussions with them and are confident now after the successful hosting of the Pakistan Super League final in Lahore,” he said.
SA ATTACK BOLSTERED AHEAD OF NZ TESTS
South Africa will miss AB de Villiers following his decision to opt out of Test cricket this year but their ranks have been bolstered by the return of Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander for the three-match series against New Zealand.
Both missed the limited-overs fixtures of the ongoing tour, with Morkel having recovered from a career-threatening back injury and Philander dealing with a nagging ankle problem.
Their three-match series in New Zealand, which kicks off in Dunedin on Wednesday, could be a chance to work Morkel and Philander back into Test form.