LONDON: England Women will tour Pakistan for the first time in October, joining the men's side in an unprecedented joint trip, cricket chiefs announced on Thursday.
No England team have played international cricket in the country since 2005.
Cricket-obsessed Pakistan spent a decade in international sporting isolation after gunmen targeted the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009, killing eight people and wounding several players and officials.
Eoin Morgan's white-ball team had already committed to a two-match Twenty20 series in Karachi on Oct. 14 and 15, with those dates now turned into double-headers involving Heather Knight's side.
England Women, world champions in the 50-over format, will then stay in Karachi to compete in three one-day internationals, on Oct. 18, 20 and 22.
"We are absolutely delighted to be making this historic announcement today," said Clare Connor, managing director of women's cricket for the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
"The England women's cricket team has never toured Pakistan before so this is another important step in our history and journey."
Wasim Khan, chief executive of the Pakistan Cricket Board, said the matches would be a good test for the hosts ahead of the 2022 World Cup in New Zealand.
"World champions England accompanying their men's side for their first-ever tour to Karachi is an extremely powerful and strong announcement for Pakistan, our women's cricketers," he said.
"Women's T20Is taking place before the men's matches at the iconic National Stadium will mean more eyeballs will follow these matches than ever before."
England women's cricket team to make 'historic' trip to Pakistan
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England women's cricket team to make 'historic' trip to Pakistan
- England Women will stay in Karachi to compete in three one-day internationals in October
- No England team have played international cricket in Pakistan since 2005
Pakistan’s president defends ongoing strikes in Afghanistan, urges Kabul to dismantle militants
- Afghanistan on Thursday launched attacks in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes the previous Sunday
- Pakistan’s military says it is only targeting Afghan military installations to avoid civilian casualties
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s president on Monday defended his country’s ongoing military strikes in neighboring Afghanistan, saying Islamabad tried all forms of diplomacy before targeting militants operating from Afghan territory, and called on the Taliban government in Kabul to disarm groups responsible for attacks in Pakistan.
Pakistan earlier said it is in “open war” with Afghanistan, alarming the international community. The border area remains a stronghold for militant organizations including Al-Qaeda and the Daesh (Islamic State) group.
“(The Afghan Taliban) must choose to dismantle the terror groups that survive on conflict and its war economy,” Asif Ali Zardari said during a speech to lawmakers, adding that “no state accepts serial attacks on its soil.”
Afghanistan on Thursday launched attacks in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes the previous Sunday. Since then, Pakistan has carried out operations along the border, with Information Minister Attaullah Tarar claiming the killing of 435 Afghan forces and the capture of 31 Afghan positions.
Kabul has denied such claims.
In Afghanistan, the deputy government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said Pakistan’s military fired mortar shells at a refugee camp in eastern Kunar province, killing three children and injuring three others.
Afghanistan’s defense ministry said Afghan forces carried out strikes targeting a Pakistani military facility near Paktia province, causing “substantial losses and heavy casualties.”
Pakistan’s military did not respond to questions. It has said Pakistan is only targeting Afghan military installations to avoid civilian casualties.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge of violence in recent months and blames it on the outlawed Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP. It operates both inside Pakistan and from Afghan territory.
Islamabad accuses Afghanistan’s Taliban government of providing safe havens for the TTP, which Kabul denies.
The latest cross-border fighting ended a ceasefire brokered by Qatar and Turkiye in October. The two sides failed to reach a permanent agreement during talks in Istanbul.
Zardari reiterated Pakistan’s call for talks, saying, “We have never walked away from dialogue.”
The Pakistani leader again accused Afghanistan of acting as a proxy for India by sheltering militant groups.
“Stop being used by another country as a battlefield for their ambitions,” he said.
Zardari cited a recent report from the United Nations Security Council’s monitoring team that described the presence of militant groups in Afghanistan as an extra-regional threat.
