LAHORE: England will visit Pakistan for the first time in 16 years when they play two Twenty20 Internationals in October next year before the T20 World Cup 2021 in India, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Wednesday. England will play T20Is in Karachi on October 14 and 15. England will arrive in Karachi on October 12, and both the sides will depart for India on October 16 for the ICC Men’s World Cup at the end of the series. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed the tour on Tuesday night following last month’s invite by the PCB for a short tour in January 2021. Due to the non-availability of its top stars during that period as they will be busy in international cricket, the ECB proposed the short tour in October in the lead up to the World Cup in India, which was welcomed by the PCB. England last toured Pakistan in 2005 when they played three Tests and five One-day Internationals. The subsequent series between the two sides in 2012 and 2015 were played in the United Arab Emirates “This will be the first time since 2005 that an England team has toured Pakistan and as such it represents a significant moment for both nations,” ECB Chief Executive Officer Tom Harrison said in a statement. “As always, the safety and welfare of our players and staff will be paramount. We are working closely with the PCB to ensure all the necessary plans are in place, especially concerning the anticipated levels of security around the team, the proposed travel protocols and of course the situation regarding the fast-moving and ever-changing COVID-19 pandemic.” Pakistan have hosted Sri Lanka and Bangladesh for Tests, and Zimbabwe for limited overs matches since December 2019, having used Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi as home venues since the attack on Sri Lanka team bus in 2009 in Lahore. This year, the entire Pakistan Super League was also held in Pakistan. England had already been scheduled to play a Test series in Pakistan in late 2022, but the PCB had expressed their desire for a visit sooner than that to show the ECB’s support for the return of international cricket to the country. With Pakistan’s players having endured less than perfect conditions in helping England fulfill their international fixtures in 2020, there was a sense that the ECB owed Pakistan a reciprocal favour. The ECB subsequently confirmed that a white-ball tour of Bangladesh in the same period is expected to go ahead as planned. PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said in a statement: “I am delighted to confirm that England will be touring Pakistan to play two T20Is in October 2021. This will be their first visit to Pakistan for 16 years and will open the door for both Test and white-ball tours in the 2022-23 season. The full-strength England squad will arrive at the backend of our home series against New Zealand. We also expect Australia to visit Pakistan for their FTP commitment in the 2021-22 season, with England returning for both Test and white-ball tours in the 2022-23 season. The October 2021 T20Is will allow the leading England cricketers to access and examine the world-class arrangements we will put together, which will give them further encouragement and confidence to not only return in 2022-23 but also express their interest in the Pakistan Super League, which has grown to become one of the top leagues in the world. England’s visit to Pakistan for the 14 and 15 October 2021 T20Is will provide further lift to our passionate fans, both in Pakistan and across the globe. The nation has waited patiently for cricket to return sustainably to Pakistan and the 2021 tours by South Africa, New Zealand and England will only ensure international cricket is played uninterruptedly. The enhanced progress made over the last two years has been down to nurturing relationships with various cricket boards and international players, as well as building trust and confidence.” British High Commissioner to Pakistan Dr Christian Turner CMG said: “My goal since arriving in Pakistan has been to welcome the England cricket team back. 16 years of waiting is over, and I am delighted that England will play here in 2021. A lot of hard work behind the scenes has gone into making today’s news possible and I would like to thank everyone involved. International cricket needs the great stadiums of Pakistan full again – and this tour will do that.”