KARACHI: Pakistan’s All Stars XI will take on World XI in two Twenty20 matches at the National Stadium under lights here on Oct 20-21, chief organiser Dr Mohammad Ali Shah announced on Friday.

Former Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya will lead World XI while Shahid Afridi will lead Pakistan XI.

“We have finalised all the arrangements to hold these matches in a befitting manner under tight security,” said Dr Shah.

The teams will be lodged at the Sheraton hotel and will have practice session at Karachi Gymkhana Ground on Oct 19.

Earlier, presiding over a high level organising committee meeting on Thursday evening, Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad expressed hope that successful staging of these matches will open the door for return of international cricket to Pakistan.

He regretted that due to the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore, no foreign team has toured Pakistan.

Praising Dr Shah’s eforts, Ebad said: “We will provide foolproof security to the visiting team.”

Squads: World XI: Sanath Jayasuriya (captain), Ricardo Powell, Steven Taylor, Jermaine Charles Lawson, Adam Sanford (West Indies), Justin Kemp, Lungile Bosman, Mthandeki Tschabalala, Andre Nel, Andre Johann Seymore, M.Hayword (South Africa), Shapoor Zadran and Mohammad Shehzad Mohammadi (Afghanistan).

Officials: Alvin Kallicharan (coach), Shoaib Mohammad (assistant coach) and Jeff Millar (manager).

Pakistan XI: Shahid Afridi (captain), Younis Khan, Nasir Jamshed, Asad Shafiq, Shahzaib Hasan, Khalid Latif, Umer Akmal, Fawad Alam, Shoaib Malik, Umer Gul, Mohammad Sami, Wahab Riaz, Sarfraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper), Faisal Iqbal, Anwar Ali and Imran Nazir.

Reserves: Tanvir Ahmed, Rameez Raja, Faraz Ahmed Khan and Azam Hussain.—APP