England Cricket has announced that they will be touring to Pakistan next year for a series of two T20 international games before the ICC T20 World Cup in October.
The two boards (England Cricket Board and Pakistan Cricket Board) confirmed the news about the same also mentioning that it will be England's first tour to Pakistan in 16 years on Tuesday following PCB's invite last month.
The two T20I matches will be played in Karachi on 14 and 15 October, before both the teams leave for India for the T20 World Cup, on 16 October.
We are heading to Pakistan!
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) November 18, 2020
In an ECB release, Tom Harrison, ECB Chief Executive Officer (CEO) said, "It’s a real pleasure to announce that the England men’s IT20 squad will be playing in Pakistan in October 2021. This will be the first time since 2005 that an England team has toured Pakistan and as such it represents a significant moment for both nations.
"As always, the safety and welfare of our players and staff will be paramount. We are working closely with the PCB to ensure all the necessary plans are in place, especially concerning the anticipated levels of security around the team, the proposed travel protocols and of course the situation regarding the fast-moving and ever-changing COVID-19 pandemic."
Harrison added that the two-match series will serve as ideal preparation for the T20 World Cup for them.
PCB CEO, Wasim Khan, on the other hand, said that ECB's confirmation was a proof of safety and security in Pakistan and hoped that this series will open doors for an elongated tour and possibly a red-ball series in 2022-23. Khan also said that this series will help in getting players from England to play in PSL, which is proving to be a success story in the last few years for Pakistan Cricket.
After international cricket was banned in Pakistan for around 6 years, it slowly started getting back on track since 2015 with a short series here or there. But it gained momentum a couple of years later in 2017 when the final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) was played in Lahore. Since that gamble paid off, a World XI team came to Pakistan for a 3-match T20I series.
That series was just the doctor ordered for PCB and Pakistan fans as it proved beneficial for the sport's return to Pakistan as well as it affirmed the safety for other countries to potential tour in future.