Lahore, October 3: Pakistan has packed its year 2003 with some more entertaining cricket by agreeing to play a three-test series along with a triangular one-day tournament in Sri Lanka next year.

The tour, tentatively scheduled in July-August, was recently finalized between the officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL). The itinerary has not been finalized nor the PCB has been communicated about the third participating team in the tri-series.

The tour to Sri Lanka is outside International Cricket Council (ICC) Future Tours Programme (FTP). According to ICC conditions, FTP is the minimum tours that every board has to undertake.

Pakistan last toured Sri Lanka for a full series in 2000 where it won the three-test series 2-0 but failed to qualify for the finals of the three-nation tournament.

The Sri Lankan triangular competition will be the second such event in which Pakistan will take part in the year 2003. In April, Pakistan is to appear in the Sharjah Cup where Sri Lanka and South Africa are the other teams. Although Pakistan will host Bangladesh and South Africa for full series' between August and October, there a possibility that the separate one-day series might be merged into a triangular contest. So far, no formal invitation or proposal has been sent to the two boards.

Bangladesh will visit Pakistan in the first half of the international home season 2003-2004 for two tests while South Africa will play three tests in the second half. The one-day series is likely to be played between the two test series'. It will be South Africa's first tour since 1997 when Hansie Cronje's team beat Saeed Anwar's side 1-0.

In the 2003 calendar year, Pakistan is drawn to play 13 tests and a minimum of 31 one-day internationals. The Asia Cup and Pakistan's appearance in Tangiers is subject to invitation and availability.

The following is Pakistan's schedule for the year 2003:

February-March: World Cup in South Africa (minimum matches 6, maximum 11)

April 1-10: Sharjah Cup (minimum matches 4, maximum 5)

April-May: India in Pakistan (three tests and three one-day internationals)

June 17, 20, 22: Pakistan to England (three one-day internationals)

July-August: Pakistan to Sri Lanka (three tests, tri-nation one-day series, minimum matches 4, maximum 5)

August-October: Bangladesh and South Africa in Pakistan (five tests, six one-day internationals)

December: Pakistan to New Zealand (two tests, five one-day internationals).

SAMIUL HASAN
G.M. Media
October 3, 2002

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