KARACHI: Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) on Sunday finally announced schedule of Pakistan’s tour of the African nation which features three Twenty20 Internationals and a two-match Test series against the hosts with all fixtures to be played at the Harare Sports Club.

The Babar Azam-led Pakistan side will also become the first country to play on the Zimbabwean soil in the post-Covid-19 period. The visitors will land in Harare from Johannesburg on April 17 following the conclusion of the white-ball tour of South Africa, which includes three One-day Internationals and four Twenty20 Internationals between April 2 and April 16.

The T20 games against Zimbabwe will be staged on April 21, 23 and 25 before the Test series starts with the opening match from April 29 to May 3 with the final Test from May 7 to 11. According to an official announcement, the entire tour will be conducted in bio-secure bubble with matches to be staged behind closed doors and without spectators.

Pakistan have maintained a clean sheet on the Twenty20 International by winning all 14 matches so far against Zimbabwe, while they have won 10 of the 17 Tests and lost thrice with remaining four drawn.

This will be the first time in more than seven years when Pakistan meet Zimbabwe in Test cricket with these teams last playing in the longest format way back in September 2013 with the two-Test series drawn at 1-1.

Zimbabwe, meanwhile, last hosted an international series — a two-Test series against Sri Lanka — in January 2020.

Both of Pakistan’s upcoming series against Zimbabwe will count towards the ICC Team Rankings.

Schedule:

April 21: First T20 International (Harare).

April 23: Second T20 International (Harare).

April 25: Third T20 International (Harare).

April 29-May 3: First Test (Harare).

May 7-11: Second Test (Harare).

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2021