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The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) has agreed to play three Tests in Pakistan in October this year, ending almost a two-month stalemte between the two boards.

The ACB has confirmed to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that it would honour its previous commitment and would play between Oct 1 and 24. No side matches have been slated.

Australia's three One-day Internationals, as part of the programme, will be adjusted in the tri-nation one-day series in Pakistan between Aug 27 and Sept 7. New Zealand will be the third team and now all the matches, including the final, will be played in Karachi. The decision has been taken considering the monsoon season in Punjab.

Initially, the ACB had said it would play only two Tests and had said the ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka had taken the chunked out of the visit. The tournament in Sri Lanka runs between Sept 12 and 30.

The ACB further argued that they needed to be back in Australia so that the players get an opportunity to play at least one domestic first-class match before the first Ashes Test starting at Gabba from Nov 7.

However, while the ACB has agreed to play three Tests, they have rejected the Test venues as proposed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The PCB had picked Multan, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi as the centres in the itinerary. But the ACB said it would only like to play at Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad. The ACB had cited lack of international standard lodging and boarding facilities at Multan though they have praised the centre.

The first Test, according to tentative itinerary, has been slated at Karachi while the final Test concludes at Lahore on Oct 23.

Meanwhile, Pakistan will depart for Zimbabwe on Nov 1 for two Tests and five One-day Internationals. Two one-dayers and the opening Test will be played at Bulawayo while the remaining three one-dayers and the second Test will be staged at Harare.

From Zimbabwe, Pakistan team will arrive in South Africa on Dec 1 for two Tests and five One-day Internationals. Interestingly, they will first play the one-dayers before appearing in two Tests.

Pakistan will play first one of the five one-dayers on Dec 8 at East London while the following games will be played at East London, Port Elizabeth, Paarl and Cape Town.

The first Test will be played at Durban from Dec 26 while the second Test will start at Port Elizabeth from Jan 2.

The PCB will make the official announcements once the itineraries are finalized.

© Dawn