Pakistan invite England for first tour of country in 15 years

Men in green were one of four teams to travel to England during the pandemic

England last toured Pakistan in 2005. AFP

England have been invited to play a limited-overs series in Pakistan next year, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said. If the series materialises, it will be the first time England have toured Pakistan since 2005.

Top-flight cricket has slowly started to return to Pakistan after a complete halt following the 2009 militant attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in the city of Lahore. International cricket returned to the country in 2015 when Zimbabwe played limited-overs matches, with the West Indies and Sri Lanka having toured the country as well.

"After discussions with the Pakistan Cricket Board, we can confirm the ECB has received an invitation in respect of a short white-ball tour to Pakistan for England men during the early part of 2021," the ECB said in a statement.

"We welcome the fact that international cricket is returning to Pakistan and are committed to doing what we can to help this develop further."

It added that factors like proposed protocols in relation to Covid-19 bio-secure bubbles, levels of security around the team, and the feasibility of undertaking a tour against the backdrop of an already busy schedule would be considered.

Pakistan were one of four teams to tour England during the pandemic, with the ECB saying it had avoided "financial oblivion" by delivering on its broadcast commitments during the home summer.

________________

England v Pakistan T20 series ratings

ENGLAND RATINGS: Tom Banton – 8, A rare talent. He made 71 in the washed out game, got the chase in the second off to a swift start, then blazed 46 in the third. Might want to think about giving up his wicket when running with his in-form captain, though. AFP

Jonny Bairstow – 6, His 44 in 24 balls put England on the path to victory in game two, but he fell early on in both innings either side of that knock. AFP

Dawid Malan – 7, Hit 54 not out, and scored the winning runs in the second game, but it shows the strength of the England set up in T20 at the moment that missing out in the third game will probably cost him his place in the side to face Australia. Reuters

Eoin Morgan – 8, A man-of-the-match award for his dapper 66 in 33 balls. Looked to be in a similar vein of form with a massive six in the finale, only to be run out in a mix up with Banton. AFP

Moeen Ali – 7, A study in contrasts. Confidence was completely shot at the start. By the end, he was England’s only hope. His hitting was so crisp in the final game as he took the hosts close. AFP

Sam Billings – 6, Only scored 10 in the second game, but it was important. Could not go at the pace required in the third. He is a brilliant outfielder for someone who has spent so long keeping wicket. Reuters

Lewis Gregory – 4, Unclear quite what he has to offer in his England career so far, especially when Morgan says he wants all out aggression from his team. No wickets in seven overs, and 63 runs conceded. AFP

Chris Jordan – 7, His canniness came to the fore as England were staring down the barrel at a huge chase in the third game. Deserved even better than 2-29 suggests. AFP

Adil Rashid – 6, The leg-spinner was the pick of England’s bowlers in the second game, with two wickets, but Hafeez dealt harshly with him when bowling to a short leg-side boundary the game three. AFP

Tom Curran – 5, Improved second time around, but that was not saying much, given his struggles in when he went for 46 in game two. AFP

Saqib Mahmood – 6, The stats tell a different story – he took no wickets for 75 in the series – but it is clear to see why England see a lot of promise in their new fast bowler. Bowled all his overs in either the power play or slog overs. Reuters

PAKISTAN RATINGS: Babar Azam – 7, Made his customary half century in the second game, but looked less pacific when England were setting upon his bowlers. Oddly out of sorts in the third as he was bowled by Tom Curran. Crucial run out of Eoin Morgan. Reuters

Fakhar Zaman – 6, Hit a promising 36 from 22 balls in the second game, but played all round Moeen Ali’s straight-break in the third. Held a fine catch to dismiss Malan. AFP

Haider Ali – 9, What a talent. Smacked his second ball in international cricket for six. Then he hit another that went 96 metres. Why did they wait so long to get him into the side? Reuters

Mohammad Hafeez – 9.5, An outstanding answer for all the ageist critics with a brace of brisk, and high-class half centuries. He will be 40 in October. He has still got it. Reuters

Shoaib Malik – 4, Plenty want him pensioned off, and he did little to disprove the doubters. Failed in match two, then saw Shadab promoted above him in the last game. Reuters

Iftikhar Ahmed – 5, Pakistan lost some impetus with his eight off nine balls in the second game, and he bowled an over too many, too, after initially looking a challenge for Malan and Morgan. Reuters

Shadab Khan – 6, Breathed life into Pakistan’s flagging effort with the ball with Banton and Bairstow in successiv.e balls in game two. Was dealt with in game three, though. AFP

Mohammed Rizwan – 6, Did not bat in the first two games, and he was unable to show off his exquisite glovework as the ball scarcely got past England’s belligerent batsmen. Made way for Sarfaraz Ahmed for the third. AFP

Sarfaraz Ahmed – 5, The last game was all he got in a chastening tour for the former captain. Even then, he saw Shadab and Imad jump above him in the batting line up. Botched a stumping of Moeen off Imad, and let four byes pass, too. AFP

Imad Wasim – 7, Typically solid with the ball in all three games, and crucially kept the pressure on England in the finale. Reuters

Mohammad Amir – 4, Suffered at the hands of England’s batsmen, limped off injured, and then did not make it back onto the field in time to help with the defence of Pakistan’s second match total. AFP

Wahab Riaz – 8, Spent months in England, all for the sake of bowling four overs at the end. They were four good ones, though, as it helped close out a series-halving win for Pakistan. And a vital run out, too. Reuters

Shaheen Afridi – 6, Looked tired as he went for 44 in 19 balls in the second game, but played a crucial turn in the last – while leaning on plenty of advice from Wahab Riaz. Reuters

Haris Rauf – 7, Another from Pakistan’s haphazard production line of fast bowlers who are box office. His wicket of Banton turned the third game in his side’s favour. Reuters