There is a lot going on, like always, in Pakistan cricket. In one place, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is racing against time to upgrade the stadiums before the Champions Trophy begins. The other part of the board is busy ensuring the new-born domestic tournament, the Champions Cup, goes smoothly. Amidst all this fuss, the scheduling issues for the upcoming Test series against England remain a potential head-scratcher for the team.
The construction work in the National Bank Cricket Arena, Karachi, renders the venue unable to host any match. Recently, the second Test match against Bangladesh was shifted to Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium to avoid the health impacts of constant noise and dust that could affect the players. With the second match of the England tour, which was originally scheduled to be played at the same venue, the PCB is faced with the same issue as the renovation and construction still remain in progress. This time, however, the cricket governing body in Pakistan can not go down the same road as they did during the Bangladesh series. Primarily because of the Shangai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit which will be held in Rawalpindi’s twin city and Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad on October 15 and 16. With several Heads of State flying into the state for the summit, security protocols will be tighter, thus scratching out Rawalpindi as one of the venues for the second Test match which will begin on October 15th.
Although PCB had hinted at the possible shifting of the Test match in a press release before the series against Bangladesh started, the confusion and uncertainty that surrounds the subject have reportedly frustrated the England Cricket Board (ECB) as well as the Barmy Army, England’s club of fans who usually travel to the countries the English team is touring.
PCB’s Chief, Mohsin Naqvi, busting the rumors of shifting the Test matches outside Pakistan, confirmed that all three matches will be played within the country. However, no official schedule or release regarding the venue change has made its way out to the public eye yet. This forced England men’s selection committee to name a 17-member squad for the tour, with several options available to cope with the uncertain situations. The Barmy Army too awaits the nod from the PCB to make the travel and accommodation arrangements in Pakistan.
Reports have it that the Board might release the schedule within the next day or two, with matches likely to be shifted to Multan Cricket Stadium. Pakistan do not have many international standard cricket stadiums. Barring the grounds in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Karachi, and Multan, no other city has a stadium that is up to the mark for international cricket. The limited venue options make the shifting difficult than it should be. A lot of this can be blamed on the fact that cricket remained elusive in the country for almost 7 years after a terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team in 2009 scared the game away. Cricket returned to the country in 2016, but it took Test cricket another three years for a comeback.
The three-match Test series against England will start on October 7th, tentatively, in Multan. This will be England’s second tour of the country in two years.
