England-Pakistan Test series could be shifted to UAE or Sri Lanka due to ongoing construction work in stadiums - Reports
The upcoming three-match Test series between England and Pakistan could be shifted out of the latter because of the ongoing construction work at the assigned venues. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is revamping the stadiums to host the 2025 Champions Trophy in February.
According to a report by the Express Tribune, the ongoing renovation work would make it difficult to host a Test match. On the flip side, if the construction is halted for the Test to proceed, then it could hamper their progress and timeline with only months left for the ICC event.
According to the current schedule - Multan, Karachi, and Rawalpindi are assigned to host the matches, with the series slated to start from October 7 onwards. All aforementioned venues are currently undergoing construction.
The National Stadium in Karachi was assigned to host the second Test between Bangladesh and Pakistan. Initially, the PCB decided to contest the encounter behind closed doors due to the construction work, but later on, shifted the match to Rawalpindi.
The PCB realizes that contesting the match behind closed doors is not an option for the England series due to the visiting fans. The cricketing governing body is expected to stage talks with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in the coming days to arrive at a potential solution.
UAE and Sri Lanka come with their own set of concerns for Pakistan
Switching the matches to another country is hardly an easy task, and the two realistic alternatives that Pakistan have in their grasp have their own challenges. The Men in Green sought solace at the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as their home venue for several years, but hosting the Test series concurrently with the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup will be a huge challenge.
The women's ICC event is scheduled to take place from October 3 to 20, while the Test series goes on until October 28.
As far as playing the series in Sri Lanka is concerned, the obstacle comes in the form of monsoon. The island nation hosted a part of the 2023 Asia Cup as part of the hybrid model during a similar time frame in the calendar, and nearly most of the matches were affected by rain.