South African team likely to visit Pakistan for T20I series soon after PSL

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: In another boon for international cricket’s ongoing return to the country, South African team is likely to visit Pakistan for a three-match T20 series next month, soon after the conclusion of the fifth edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL).

“They’d told us that their security delegation would visit us either during the first Test against Bangladesh or during the PSL to assess the security here. But as it has not arrived yet (during the Test match), we understand that it will be visiting us during the PSL matches,” a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official told APP on Sunday.

South African team is scheduled to visit India next month to play a three-match ODI series, which will conclude on March 18. The PCB official said on their way back the Proteas might stay in the UAE for a couple of days or so with the intent to travel Pakistan from there for the T20 series. “That will suit them as it’ll be easier for them to fly to Pakistan from there (UAE).

“The PSL final will take place on March 22, while Bangladesh team is scheduled to visit us again to play an ODI on April 3 and then the last fixture of the two-match split ICC Test Championship from April 5-9. So we’ll have a window of eight to ten days where the T20 series between Pakistan and South Africa can take place,” the official added.

He said venues for the T20 series would be announced after the visit of South Africa delegation. “Pakistan is fully safe to hold international events. The PSL matches are taking place across four venues – Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi and Multan.

Hence the T20 series can also take place anywhere,” he added. 

South Africa last toured Pakistan in October 2007. They however, visited for series in the UAE twice since then, in 2010 and 2013.