Pak to play 3 ODIs, 5 T20 Internationals against Aus

Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to play a series of three One-day internationals and three Twenty20 Internationals against Australia in August-September but venues for the matches will be decided in next few days.

A senior PCB official said that the Board has decided the series would consist of three ODIs and three Twenty20 Internationals.

"Since now we will have three Twenty20 matches we don't require any special permission from the International Cricket Council," chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed said.

According to him, a decision on whether to have the matches in Malaysia or the United Arab Emirates would be taken in next two to three days.

There were reports that Pakistan and Australia could approach the ICC to allow them play a series of five Twenty20 International matches.

Subhan explained that since it had been decided to have the series immediately after the month of Ramazan ends around August 20, the window available to both teams allowed them to play six matches.

Initially, Pakistan had planned five ODIs and three Twenty20 International matches against Australia.

"Because of the time, we have decided to now have three ODIs," he said.

Pakistan has been forced to host the series against Australia at a neutral venue after the Aussies refused to tour Pakistan due to security concerns. Australia have not played in Pakistan since 1998 due to security concerns.

Pakistan had earlier sent a request to the ICC to allow them to host a series of seven Twenty20 International matches against Australia.

But, the ICC rejected the move by the PCB and asked the Board to take their proposal to the ICC chief executives meeting in Kuala Lumpur later this month. As per ICC regulations, a maximum of three Twenty20 International matches are allowed in a bilateral series.

The PCB had sent its senior official and former Test captain and coach Intikhab Alam to Kaula Lumpur and UAE to inspect and assess the grounds and weather conditions in both the possible neutral venues to stage the Australia series.

Subhan said a problem with having matches in Malaysia was that there could be monsoon rains there in August and September but added that the country was cost effective for the PCB to organise the series.