Pakistan get 17 more matches in new tours programme

Men in Green will now play 121 matches in the four years from May 2019 to May 2023

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has gotten more matches scheduled for the Men in Green under the new Future Tours Programme (FTP) agreed during a workshop held in Singapore, a PCB official told The Express Tribune.

According to the updated FTP, the PCB will play 17 more matches than the previously proposed FTP draft for Pakistan.

Pakistan had the most number of matches added to their schedule with two Tests, five ODIs and 10 T20Is added to their tally. Pakistan’s 104 international matches between May 2019 and May 2023 have now been increased to 121.

This still leaves Pakistan trailing their rivals in terms of matches but the gap is now much less pronounced. In fact, they can count themselves in the same tier as South Africa (122), Australia (123) and Bangladesh (124). India (151) and West Indies (149) though still remain miles ahead of the rest in terms of matches.

However, PCB’s bilateral arrangement with Cricket West Indies is not included in the arrangement, which means Pakistan may end up leapfrogging Australia, South Africa and Bangladesh in terms of total matches played.

Also not included are the 19 matches that Pakistan and India had agreed to play, which now seems a distinctly improbable scenario unless political ties between the two countries improve. However, the ICC’s dispute resolution committee may also step in to resolve the issue.

Under the new schedule, Pakistan play 30 Tests, 43 ODIs and 48 T20Is, which according to a PCB official could have been even higher had there not been three ICC tournaments in the cycle.

The PCB has been eager to emphasise that its engagements in the new FTP will be about quality of contest rather than quantity. Opponents have been classified on the basis of the value they provide to a broadcast deal.

46% of Pakistan's total home games in the next FTP will be against high-value opponents (Australia, South Africa, England and Bangladesh), 30% against mid-value opponents such as New Zealand and West Indies and the remaining 24% against low-value teams such as Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan.

“This has given Pakistan more matches to look forward to in the FTP and it is expected to be approved in the next meeting, while the issue of matches against India still remains unsolved,” said the official. “Pakistan will mostly be playing against top teams, which will help them improve their ranking and form, while it will also provide more competitive matches for the fans. If we get the matches against India then we will surpass most of the top nations.”