Pakistan to host World XI followed by Sri Lanka and West Indies

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed it will host a Twenty20 series against a World XI in September, while Sri Lanka and West Indies will follow suit if there are no safety concerns.

Several teams have refused to visit Pakistan since the Sri Lanka team bus was attacked by gunmen in March 2009.

Since then, Pakistan have been forced to play their home matches in the United Arab Emirates, but Monday’s announcement represented a positive step for the future of the nation’s cricket.

A 15-man World squad, led by former England head coach Andy Flower and made up of players from all top Test-playing sides, will play three Twenty20 matches against Pakistan in September.

Sri Lanka are then scheduled for the following month – thought to be for one T20 – before the Windies arrive in November for a three-match T20 series.

“The tour would be subject to the safe conclusion of the ICC World XI team’s three-match series in Lahore in September and affirmation of manageable security by the ICC sponsored international security company overseeing the security arrangements of the World XI in September,” read a release from Cricket West Indies.

“We just hope that the security we’ve promised, we’ll keep it up,” said PCB chairman Najam Sethi.

“Sri Lanka have said they’ll come after the World XI, provided the security is fine. It will be fine, Punjab government has indicated that the preparation are in full swing.

“At the end of this month, ICC’s security team is also arriving. So far all signals are good.”