On Wednesday (July 8), England and West Indies will kick-off their 3-match Test series at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. It is going to be a big day in the cricketing world as it would mark the return of cricket ever since the coronavirus pandemic hit the globe.
In fact, the coming months in England are indeed extraordinary for cricket lovers across the world as after the completion of Test series against the Caribbean’s, the English cricketers will start another series against Pakistan and Ireland as well.
Pakistan team has already arrived in the United Kingdom (UK), and the players have started their preparation ahead of the Test and T20I series. Currently, they are undergoing a 14-day isolation period in Worcester.
Meanwhile, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Monday announced the fixtures against Pakistan and Ireland. The 3-match Test series against Pakistan will commence from August 5. At the same time, the three-match T20I series will begin from August 28.
Ireland, on the other hand, will arrive in the UK on July 18 for the 3-match ODI series which begins from July 30.
“Confirmation of these matches against Ireland and Pakistan is another important step for our game as we begin to stage international cricket again safely, but also to minimise the impact, the Covid-19 pandemic has had, and will continue to have, on cricket at all levels. It has taken significant effort and expertise to allow us to reach a position where cricket is now ready and able to return to the field of play from the elite level to recreational cricket,” said ECB Chief Executive Officer, Tom Harrison.
“We owe a significant debt of gratitude to the players, staff and administrators of the Cricket West Indies, Cricket Ireland, and the Pakistan Cricket Board for their willingness and co-operation to get international cricket back up and running and allow these matches to be staged. We also continue to explore options for our England Men to play white-ball series against Australia this summer and hope to have news on those series soon,” he added.
England versus Ireland ODI series fixtures:
- 1st ODI v Ireland: Thursday, July 30 at The Ageas Bowl
- 2nd ODI v Ireland: Saturday, August 1 at The Ageas Bowl
- 3rd ODI v Ireland: Tuesday, August 4 at The Ageas Bowl
England versus Pakistan fixtures:
Test Series:
- 1st Test v Pakistan: 5-9 August at Emirates Old Trafford
- 2nd Test v Pakistan: 13-17 August at The Ageas Bowl
- 3rd Test v Pakistan: 21-25 August at The Ageas Bowl
T20I Series:
- 1st T20 v Pakistan: Friday, August 28 at Emirates Old Trafford
- 2nd T20 v Pakistan: Sunday, August 30 at Emirates Old Trafford
- 3rd T20 v Pakistan: Tuesday, September 1 at Emirates Old Trafford
