MUMBAI: A day after doubts emerged about New Zealand's forthcoming limited overs tour of Pakistan, with the trip subject to a clearance from security expert Reg Dickason after some Kiwi players expressed concern about touring the country following Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ehsan Mani assured that Pakistan is on track to host tours by New Zealand and then England.
"Cricket is taking place (in Pakistan) and we have New Zealand coming in September followed by England in October. There are no problems in hosting matches in Pakistan," Mani told TOI from Karachi on Friday.
Cricket suffered big time in Pakistan, with international teams refusing to travel there, after the terror strike September 11, 2001 and the subsequent invasion of Afghanistan, which started a long-drawn out war.
New Zealand are supposed to land in Pakistan on September 11 to play three ODIs and five T20 Internationals in Rawalpindi and Lahore until October 3. The white-ball series in September is a build-up for both the teams towards the T20 World Cup in October-November. This is the first time that New Zealand are touring Pakistan in 19 years- after their last trip in 2002 was called off in the middle of a Test in Karachi due to a bomb blast.
Later, in October, Pakistan are supposed to host the England men's and women's teams for a white-ball series each. This will be England's first tour to Pakistan since 2005.
According to reports, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has also bid to host two World Cups in the 2023-31 International Cricket Council (ICC) cycle of events.
