ISLAMABAD: Officials from the Pakistan and Bangladesh cricket boards will meet on the sidelines of an ICC meeting in the United Arab Emirates this week after Bangladesh got permission from its government to only play a short Twenty20 International series in Pakistan and not the two-Test matches.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan said on Sunday that his government has given a go-ahead for a short tour to Pakistan comprising three Twenty20s. Pakistan was originally scheduled to host Bangladesh for three Twenty20s and two Test matches in January-February.

The PCB had proposed to Bangladesh that it could defer the T20 series, but Bangladesh must play two Test matches in Pakistan in Karachi and Rawalpindi, which are part of ICC’s World Test Championship.

“Directives from the government is to go for a short tour to Pakistan at this moment,” Hassan had said after a board meeting on Sunday. “We are always with Pakistan’s initiative to revive international cricket there but at this moment it’s not possible to stay there for a long period. I think they should consider our situation.”

PCB chairman Ehsan Mani said last month that Pakistan will no longer host its bilateral Test series at a neutral venue after it successfully hosted two Tests against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi and Karachi.

The PCB said on Monday that Mani and Hassan will meet in Dubai, after which further updates will be provided.

The Dubai meeting is a continuation of the discussion process, which the PCB has followed to reach a consensus with the BCB on its national men’s cricket teams tour itinerary, the PCB said in a statement.

Bangladesh’s junior and women’s cricket teams toured Pakistan last year, but its national men’s team has not played an international match in Pakistan since the 2007-08 season.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2020