Pakistan set to visit Netherlands for three One Day Internationals in August
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) earlier in the month had officially announced the 12-month cricketing schedule of both their men’s and women’s teams. The men’s fixtures include the home bilateral series against New Zealand and England which will see the Men In Green hosting the 2019 World Cup finalists twice.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s national cricket board has also announced some of the away fixtures as well and one of them includes a One Day International series in the Netherlands in the second half of this year i.e. in August. The series, which was originally scheduled to be held a couple of years ago, has finally got a slot and it has been confirmed as well.
We have been able to reschedule the series: PCB Director
“We are pleased that with the support of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Cricket Bond (KNCB), we have been able to reschedule the series, which is important to the growth and development of cricket in the Netherlands as well as to the two teams’ chances of progressing directly to the 2023 World Cup”, PCB director Zakir Khan was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
“Our men’s national cricket team had an excellent 2021-22 season and I am confident they will build on the momentum to entertain expat Pakistanis and the Dutch spectators with good cricket. This series will also help KNCB attract new and young audiences towards the game”, he added.
The bilateral series was scheduled to take place in June 2020, but it had to be postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The three-match ODI series between both sides will take place at Rotterdam in August. It is Pakistan who have had the upper hand over the Dutch in all their meetings in the ICC events having won their respective encounters in the 1996 World Cup, ICC Champions Trophy 2002, and World Cup 2003.
This will be the first-ever face-off between both sides in a bilateral series. The three games are scheduled to be played on August 16, 18, and 21 at the VOC Cricket Ground.