No clarity over number of T20Is on Australia's tour of Pakistan

It is unclear whether Pakistan will host Australia in a five-match T20I series or if the series will have three T20Is and an equal number of ODIs.

Australia’s tour of Pakistan, which will happen sometime in August has an issue though. The Pakistan Cricket Board has yet to decide on the venue, which could be a deciding factor on the tour schedule. Pakistan does not host international cricket in their own country because of security issues since the 2009 attacks on the Sri Lankan cricket team.

Sri Lanka was expected to play host to the series between Australia and Pakistan but withdrew the offer, after it became evident that they had their own Sri Lanka Premier League that needed to be hosted.

With Middle East and Malaysia being the two other options, the problem will be with the weather. An ODI, which usually begins at 2.30 or 3 pm usually, will be played under hot and humid conditions and sap the players’ energies rather quickly.

The Australian cricket board has said that they don’t mind playing a five-match T20 series instead of the ODIs but the ICC rules say that the maximum allowed T20Is in a series are three. To have five games in a T20I series – something that has never happened before in the history of T20I cricket – needs prior permission from the ICC.

Earlier it was said that PCB had even proposed a seven-match T20I series which the ICC rejected.

ICC chief Haroon Lorgat did not elaborate further from, “In a World Twenty20 we have already agreed to extend the 12 maximum to 15. So in this particular year, any member can play 15 T20 internationals.”

PCB’s director for international operations, Intikhab Alam said, “Plan is to play three ODIs and three T20Is. I have given my assessment reports about both venues [UAE and Malaysia] and the announcement will be made within this week.”