LONDON: England’s women cricket team will play three one-dayers and three T20 games against Pakistan next year, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Tuesday.

The three ODIs will form the fifth round of England’s matches for the ICC Women’s Championship as they look to qualify for the 2017 World Cup, which will take place in England.

“The introduction of the ICC Women’s Championship has brought context and meaning to every ODI series that we play,” said Claire Connor, the director of England women’s cricket, in a press release.

“As we approach the business end of the competition next year with World Cup qualification the prize, every match and every point carries huge significance.”

“All the venues that will be staging games against Pakistan have the aspiration of reaching new fans and achieving capacity crowds.”

The ODIs will take place at Leicestershire’s Grace Road, Worcestershire’s New Road and Taunton, home of Somerset, on June 20, 22 and 27.

The T20 series will be played on July 3, 5 and 7 at Bristol’s County Ground, Hampshire’s Rose Bowl and Essex’s County Ground.

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2015