Zimbabwe to host Pakistan in T20I, Test series without fans

By David Ochieng Mbewa

Pakistan will tour Zimbabwe between April and May playing two Test matches and three T20I matches, Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) announced on Sunday.

All the matches will be played at Harare Sports Club and, in accordance with COVID-19 restrictions, no spectators will be allowed in the stadium, ZC said.

FILE PHOTO: A cricket ball is seen lying on the pitch. /VCG

In addition to that, players and staff from both teams will undergo regular COVID-19 tests during the series, which will be held in a bio-secure environment.

The T20I matches are scheduled to be played on April 21, 23 and 25 with the Test matches taking place between April 29-May 3 and May 7-May 11.

Pakistan is expected to arrive in the country on April 17 with the same team which flew to South Africa.

It will be the second time in about six months that the two sides will play each other. Between October and November last year, Zimbabwe toured Pakistan to play three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and a similar number of T20Is. Pakistan won the ODI series 2-1 and the T20I series 3-0.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) director of international cricket Zakir Khan said the tour of Zimbabwe was “another step” towards the revival of international cricket in the post-COVID-19 world.

“We have always maintained that cricket and COVID-19 can co-exist in a safe and secure environment, and we continue to demonstrate this to ensure the game develops and flourishes in these difficult and challenging times,” Khan said.