Venue concerns loom ahead of Pakistan-England Test series
This raises possibility of shifting series to United Arab Emirates or Sri Lanka
The upcoming Test series between Pakistan and England faces an uncertainty due to unfinished stadium preparations in Karachi, raising the possibility of shifting the venue to United Arab Emirates (UAE) or Sri Lanka.
Preparing for the highly-anticipated 2025 Champions Trophy, stadiums in Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Karachi are under development, posing challenges for the Pakistan Cricket Board in hosting matches.
This upcoming series is part of the ongoing International Cricket Council (ICC) World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25.
The first Test is scheduled to take place from October 7 to 11 in Multan, the second Test from October 15 till 19 in Karachi, followed by the third from October 24 to 28 in Rawalpindi.
Nevertheless, the construction delays acts as a hinderance in holding the series as planned. If the construction is paused, that will impact the mega event of 2025.
In addition, hosting matches without spectators is not a favourable option.
The cricket body, in response to these issues, plans to consider alternatives such as the UAE or Sri Lanka.
However, Abu Dhabi is the only option in the UAE as the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup is set to take place in Dubai and Sharjah starting from October 3 to 20.
With the final decision yet to be made, the board is expected to announce the final venue after discussing with the England Cricket Board (ECB) in the coming days.
It is worth noting that the Green Shirts have recently faced defeat against Bangladesh, falling to eighth position after a surprising series loss. This series against England is a must-win for the team.
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