As the authorities in Pakistan have managed to control the situation of the Covid-19 pandemic, the series of international events have returned to the country once again.
The Pakistan Blind Cricket Council (PBCC) is set to host a bilateral series against South Africa later this month from February 26 to March 9.
The Proteas will play a three-match One-Day International series in Karachi at the Southend Club Cricket Stadium. The first of the 50-over game will be played on February 28, followed by the second ODI on March 1, while the final contest of the series will be played after a day’s gap on March 3.
Karachi last hosted a blind cricket series back in 2014, when the arch-rivals India visited the country.
Meanwhile, the T20I series between the two sides will take place in Lahore and Faisalabad.
Talking to Bol News, the Pakistan Blind Cricket Council (PBCC) Chairman Syed Sultan Shah said the South African team will be touring the country for the first time, adding that it will not only promote cricket in the region but also improve relations between the two nations.
Moreover, the series can prove to be crucial for the preparation of the T20 global event.
“The series will be helpful for the preparation of the T20 World Cup, which will be played in India in November this year,” he maintained.
Sultan said that the games will be streamed live on social media platforms so that more people can watch them and blind cricket gets the much-needed recognition.
The selection committee of PBCC, headed by Muhammad Bilal Satti, and comprising Masood Jan and Ibrar Shah, selected the squad for the upcoming campaign against the Proteas.
The selection committee took the selection trials from January 31 to February 2 in Lahore for selection purpose.
PBCC decided to give six newcomers an opportunity in the home series. The squad was later approved by the PBCC boss, who also later announced the team officials for the ODI series.
Nisar Ali will lead the side in the all-important series, while Zafar Iqbal will perform the duties of his deputy.
The national squad for the T20 series will be announced later.
The last time Pakistan hosted a bilateral series of blind cricket was in 2016 against Sri Lanka. The tourists played T20Is and three ODI matches during the tour.
The Green Shirts had successfully whitewashed the Lankan Lions by winning both the ODI and T20I series.
Interestingly, Pakistan and South Africa were the teams that played the first-ever blind cricket Test match in 2000, where the Green Caps recorded a 94-run victory.
Pakistan Squad:
B1 (Totally Blind Category):
Zafar Iqbal, Riasat Khan, Muhammad Shahzaib, Muhammad Salman, Kashif Siddique,
B2 (Partially Blind Category):
Nisar Ali, Shahzeb Haider, Matiullah, Ahtesham ul Haq, Naseeb Ullah
B3 Partially Sighted Category:
Muhammad Rashid, Mohsin Khan, Kashif Siddique, Faisal Mehmood, Akmal Hayyat, Israr ul Hassan
Reserves:
Fakhar Abbass (B1) Moain Aslam (B2) Sanaullah Khan (B3)
