Johannesburg: Pakistan will play three one-day internationals and four Twenty20 internationals in South Africa during April, Cricket Africa announced on Friday.
The touring team will stay in a bio-secure environment and matches will be confined to two venues – SuperSport Park in Centurion and the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.
The series will bring to an end a home international season heavily affected by Covid-19. England cut short a white-ball tour in December over fears about the virus and Australia withdrew from a planned three-Test tour which was due to take place in March.
Pakistan's skipper Babar Azam. AP
The only home international matches played by South Africa during the 2020/21 season so far were three Twenty20 internationals against England and two Test matches against Sri Lanka.
South Africa recently completed a two-Test series in Pakistan and are currently involved in a Twenty20 series in that country.
Cricket South Africa director of cricket Graeme Smith thanked the Pakistan Cricket Board for agreeing to play an additional T20 international after it had originally been planned that just three matches in that format would be held.
“Pakistan has proved their status over the years as one of the most dangerous limited-overs teams and I’m sure they will give the Proteas a stern test on the Highveld,” said Smith.
Fixtures:
2 April, first ODI, Centurion
4 April, second ODI, Johannesburg
2 April, third ODI, Centurion
10 April, first T20I, Johannesburg
12 April, second T20I, Johannesburg
14 April, third T20I, Centurion
16 April, fourth T20I, Centurion
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Mani also said that they wanted written assurances from the BCCI about the security arrangements for the Pakistan entire contingent.
The Pakistan Cricket Board is likely to send its entire cricket contingent for tours to South Africa and Zimbabwe in March-April by a special chartered flight to avoid any COVID-19 complications.
Umar Akmal was initially banned for three years from all cricket activities last year for not reporting approaches made to him for spot-fixing in PSL. The Court of Arbitration for Sports has reduced the ban to 12 months.