ENGLAND will play two Twenty20 Internationals against Pakistan in Dubai next month ahead of their tour to Bangladesh, the England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed today.
The games, which will take place at Dubai Sports City, provide an extra chance for England’s limited-overs team to gel ahead of the next World Twenty20 in the West Indies in April.
England will now arrive in Dubai on February 14 for their matches against the current Twenty20 world champions before flying to Bangladesh on February 21.
Once there they will play two one-day warm-ups, three one-day internationals, a three-day practice match and two Tests.
England Lions are also set for a busy time.
They will arrive in Dubai on February 7 before playing Andy Flower’s senior side in a Twenty20 warm-up in Abu Dhabi on February 17.
Meanwhile, Australia paceman Peter Siddle believes Pakistan face a near impossible task to bounce back from the shattering disappointment of the second Test defeat in Sydney.
The tourists had the Aussies on their knees in the second innings at eight-down with a lead of just 51 before Michael Hussey and Siddle combined for a ninth-wicket stand of 123.
Pakistan then made 139 to fall 36 runs short and Siddle said: ‘‘It’s definitely going to hurt them and definitely going to play on their minds a lot coming into the Hobart Test.’’
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