Disabled team to play England next year

Pakistan players to contest three one-dayers, three T20s.

KARACHI: The disabled cricket teams of Pakistan and England have agreed to play a one-day and Twenty20 series in March 2014 after a meeting between officials of the two respective cricket boards.    

The 2nd Physical Disability Cricket Series, which is likely to be played in Dubai, will have three one-dayers of 40 overs while there will be three T20 matches as well.

The meeting was held between Head of Disability Cricket ECB Ian Martin, Disability Cricket Support Officer ECB Richard Hill, Pakistan Disable Cricket Association (PDCA) Secretary Amir Uddin Ansari and PDCA Chairman Karim Saleem.

The last time both the teams met, they played three one-dayers and three T20 matches.

“It was agreed that the formats of the 2014 series will remain the same except that the number of T20 matches will be increased from two to three, making a total series of three 40-over matches and three T20 games,” according to the official minutes of the meeting held at Lord’s, made available to The Express Tribune.

Both boards were keen to staging the series in Dubai, but have fears that it might prove too costly and they might look at alternatives such as Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. However, a final decision about the venue will be taken in the next meeting, which will be held in the third week of December.

Officials from both sides also deliberated on the issue of inviting other cricket boards to prepare their disabled cricket teams and play tournaments, as currently only England and Pakistan are the two countries to have played a competitive series so far.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 27^th, 2013.

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