LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday announced England women's national cricket team will tour Pakistan in October along with their men's side for two Twenty20 Internationals and three One-Day Internationals in Karachi.

England women will play the two T20Is as double-headers alongside their men's team on 14 and 15 October, while the ODIs will be played on 18, 20 and 22 October. The National Stadium will host all five fixtures.

Unlike the men's side, who will be returning to Pakistan for the first time since 2005, this will be the 50-over world champions' maiden tour to Pakistan.

Pakistan and England last played in a Group-B ICC Women's World T20 2020 match, which England won by 42 runs. In December 2019, Pakistan hosted England in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in the ICC Women's Championship 2017-2020 with England winning the ODI series 2-0 and T20I series 3-0.

PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said: "World champions England accompanying their men's side for their first-ever tour to Karachi is an extremely powerful and strong announcement for Pakistan, our women's cricketers as well as for the global sport. This announcement reflects the confidence, trust and relationship the PCB enjoys with the England and Wales Cricket Board, and is an acknowledgement for the successful delivery of international and domestic cricket in the challenging and difficult 2020."

"The three ODIs against the world champions will assist the Pakistan women's side to access, gauge and fine-tune their ICC Women's World Cup 2022 preparations as they aim to produce improved performances than in the past," Khan said, adding: "Like the England men's side, I am confident the women's tour will open up opportunities for their future tours that will further contribute in promoting women's cricket in Pakistan and helping our national side to narrow the gap with the leading nations."

ECB Managing Director of Women's Cricket, Clare Connor said, "We are absolutely delighted to be making this historic announcement today. The England Women's cricket team has never toured Pakistan before so this is another important step in our history and journey. Not only will this be a cricket tour that provides valuable competitive opportunity to both teams, it should also serve as another powerful and positive message as we drive forward our equality ambitions for more women and girls to derive empowerment through the sport.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021