ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan cricket team will kick off its Europe tour today, Friday, with the first of three Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) against Ireland at the Castle Avenue, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said.
This marks the first time Ireland will host Pakistan for a T20I series. The two sides have previously met only once in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2009 where Pakistan won by 39 runs with Kamran Akmal receiving the player of the match award for his 51-ball 57 and two stumpings.
Interestingly, both Pakistan and Ireland are in the same group for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 and will face each other in Florida on June 16. Apart from the two sides, India, USA, and Canada are also in the same group, with the top two teams advancing to the second stage.
“Our preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 began with the home series against New Zealand and now it’s all about putting the final touches on those preparations. We have clarity on our game plans, strategies and combinations. It’s about bringing everything together before we arrive in the United States,” the PCB quoted Pakistan head coach Azhar Mahmood as saying.
“We’ve only played Ireland once, so they will be a relatively new opponent for us. However, any team in T20 cricket can be dangerous as the match can swing in one over. The three T20Is will provide us with good information about their players and how they approach T20 cricket.”
The remaining two matches will also take place at the same venue in Ireland on Sunday and Tuesday, before Pakistan head to Headingley, Leeds on Wednesday for a series of four T20Is against England.
Following the England series, with matches scheduled at Headingley (22 May), Birmingham (25 May), Cardiff (28 May), and The Oval, London (30 May), both England and Pakistan will head to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, according to the PCB.
England will face Scotland in Barbados on June 4 in their opening match, while Pakistan will launch their campaign against the United States (US) in Dallas on June 6.
Meanwhile, fast bowler Mohammad Amir will miss the first T20I due to delays in the issuance of his visa. He is expected to join the side on Friday.
Squads
Ireland: Paul Stirling (captain), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young
Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir (unavailable for first T20I), Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Usman Khan
Pakistan and Ireland go toe-to-toe in inaugural T20I series today
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Pakistan and Ireland go toe-to-toe in inaugural T20I series today
- Both Pakistan and Ireland are in the same group of the T20 World Cup
- Mohammad Amir expected to be available for second and third T20Is
Pakistan demands ‘equitable’ climate finance for vulnerable states at UN forum
- Pakistan repeatedly suffers from deadly climate disasters, including floods this year that killed over 1,000 people during monsoon
- Pakistan minister stresses role of international cooperation, private sector engagement for environmental sustainability
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Minister for Climate Change Dr. Musadik Malik on Saturday called for an “equitable, accessible” climate finance for vulnerable nations, saying that climate action must be treated as a shared global responsibility.
Malik was speaking at a high-level conference titled: “The Bottom Line: Why Tackling Environmental Degradation Is Critical to the Future of the Global Financial System” held on the sidelines of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) in Nairobi.
Pakistan has suffered repeated climate-inducted disasters frequently over the years. Devastating floods this year claimed over 1,000 lives in the country during the monsoon season. Super floods in 2022 cost the country an estimated $30 billion in damages.
“Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr. Musadik Malik has stressed that environmental degradation poses systemic risks to the global financial system and called for more accessible and equitable climate finance for vulnerable countries,” state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.
Participants highlighted the importance of policy coherence, effective regulatory frameworks and whole-of-government approaches to create enabling conditions for sustainable finance.
Pakistan has been pushing for easy access and terms of financing for developing countries that suffer from climate change effects over the past few years at global events such as the Conference of the Parties (COP) and World Economic Forum.
Dr. Malik noted that countries contributing least to global emissions were among those facing the “most severe” impacts of climate change.
Pakistan contributes less than 1 percent to the total greenhouse gas emissions.
“The minister underscored the role of international cooperation and responsible private sector engagement in ensuring that financial stability and environmental sustainability reinforce each other,” the APP report said.
The summit brought together global leaders, policymakers, financial regulators and experts to discuss how governments are steering private finance toward pathways that strengthen economic and financial stability.
Discussions also focused on mobilizing private capital for high-impact sectors and integrating environmental risks into financial decision-making processes.
