The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is contemplating alternatives like the UAE or Sri Lanka for hosting Pakistan's Test series against England, as reported by Geo News.
In Jason Gillespie's inaugural assignment as Test head coach of Pakistan, the Shan Masood-led team hit a low point after suffering a whitewash against Bangladesh on their home turf. During the two-match Test series, PCB had to relocate the second Test to Rawalpindi, which was initially planned for Karachi. This move was necessitated by ongoing construction work at Karachi National Stadium in preparation for next year's Champions Trophy, making it impractical to host the second Test there.
As Karachi National Stadium, Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium, and the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium undergo renovation for the marquee event, it is possible that Masood and his team might have to play in the UAE or Sri Lanka.
Pakistan is set to host England for a three-match Test series, part of the ongoing International Cricket Council (ICC) World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle. The first Test will commence on October 7 in Multan. The second Test is scheduled to begin in Karachi on October 15, and the third Test is slated for Rawalpindi on October 24.
If PCB opts to host the three-match Test series in the UAE, Abu Dhabi will be the sole option due to the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup. This cricket spectacle is set to take place in Dubai and Sharjah from October 3 to 20.
Pakistan will be eager to recover from their recent setback against Bangladesh. The team has slipped to eighth position in the ICC Test rankings, marking their lowest ranking in the format since 1965, excluding periods where they were not ranked due to insufficient matches.
