After successfully staging the playoffs and final of Pakistan Super League 2018 (PSL) in Lahore and Karachi, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is gearing up to host West Indies for a three-match T20I series, starting on April 01. After Zimbabwe, World XI and Sri Lanka, Windies will be the fourth international team to travel to Pakistan after the 2009 Lahore attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team bus. The aforementioned teams faced Pakistan in Lahore. However, Windies will play their matches in Karachi. And for the first time after 2009, National Stadium in Karachi will host an international match. The venue recently hosted the final of PSL 2018, which Islamabad United won in front of a packed stadium.

The last international match played at Karachi was a Test between hosts and Sri Lanka in February 2009. Subsequently, the visitors faced an unfortunate attack on their team bus when they were traveling towards the Gadaffi Stadium.

The Pakistan vs. Windies series was earlier scheduled to be held in November last year but was postponed. Last year in October, Sri Lanka played third and last T20I match in Lahore. The Tests, ODIs and two T20Is, however, were played in UAE.

Windies tour of Pakistan 2018 Schedule:

Date Match Venue  Time (IST)
April 01 1st T20I National Stadium, Karachi 8:30 PM
April 02 2nd T20I National Stadium, Karachi 8:00 PM
April 03 3rd T20I National Stadium, Karachi 8:00 PM

Meanwhile, Pakistan have announced their squad for the series. Kamran Akmal, who was in fabulous touch during the PSL 2018, was once again ignored. Selectors, however, included new faces like Asif Ali, Hussain Talat and Shaheen Shah Afridi who did well during the PSL. Fast bowler Rahat Ali was also rewarded for his impressive performances during the league.

Pakistan Squad: Ahmed Shehzad, FakharZaman, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, AsifAli, Sarfraz Ahmed (Captain)(WK), Hussain Talat, Faheem Ashraf, Muhammad Nawaz, Shahdab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Rahat Ali, Usman Khan Shinwari and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Windies Squad: Chadwick Walton, Andre Fletcher, Marlon Samuels, Jason Mohammed(c), Denesh Ramdin(w), Rovman Powell, Keemo Paul, Rayad Emrit, Kesrick Williams, Samuel Badree, Veerasammy Permaul, Andre McCarthy, Odean Smith.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 26, 2018 08:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).