Lahore (Syed Javed Hassan Shah): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has today confirmed that Bangladesh will tour Pakistan in May for a five-match T20I series. The series, which is part of the Future Tour Programme (FTP) originally consisted of three ODIs and three T20Is.

However, with the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup scheduled for next year, both the boards have mutually agreed to replace the ODIs with two additional T20Is.

The five-match T20I series will be played in Faisalabad and Lahore from 25 May to 3 June. Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad, which successfully hosted the inaugural Champions One-Day Cup in September last year and National T20 Cup last month, will stage the first and second T20Is of the series, scheduled on 25 and 27 May, respectively.

Iqbal Stadium, which has previously hosted 24 Tests and 16 ODIs between 1978 and 2008, will welcome back international cricket after a 17-year hiatus. The historic venue’s last international fixture was an ODI between Bangladesh and Pakistan in April 2008.

Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium will host the remaining three T20Is, scheduled on 30 May, 1 and 3 June. All five matches will begin at 8pm.

Bangladesh team will arrive on 21 May and will undergo training sessions at the Iqbal Stadium from 22 t0 24 May.

Series schedule in Pakistan

21 May – Bangladesh men’s team arrival

25 May – First T20I at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad (8pm local time)

27 May – Second T20I at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad (8pm local time)

30 May – Third T20I at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore (8pm local time)

1 June – Fourth T20I at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore (8pm local time)

3 June – Fifth T20I at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore (8pm local time)