Pakistan VS. Abu Dhabi second Cricket game

Pakistan’s International Cricket starts are set to return to Abu Dhabi later this year for a one-day series against New Zealand. The decision to stage the internationals in Abu Dhabi is a boost to the capital’s hopes of becoming a major cricketing centre, following the recent decision not to allow Pakistan to play their 2011 World Cup home matches in the UAE.

For one-day and two Twenty (20) games are scheduled to be held in the UAE in late October or early November. The matches are likely to be split between Dubai Sports City and the capital’s Zayed Cricket Stadium. They precede a Test series in December, which has been switched to New Zealand.

Pakistan has been unable to host international cricket since March, when gunmen attacked the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore as they traveled to a game. The Pakistan Cricket Board had hoped to play the full series in New Zealand – their next engagement is in Australia later in December – but having all the matches in New Zealand would have meant a clash of television rights. Ten Sports has the TV rights for Pakistan matches, Sky New Zealand controls all games played in its country.

Last month the international Cricket Council turned down appeals to allow Pakistan to play their matches in the 2011 World Cup in the UAE. Despite the wishes of the Pakistan Cricket Board, the 14 fixtures will instead be co-hosted on the Indian subcontinent by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.