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Pakistan will play a total of 54 Tests and between 117 and 143 One-day Internationals (ODIs) between 2006 and the first half of 2012 according to the new Future Tours Programme (FTP) released by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Surprisingly, despite all the complaints about players being exposed to international cricket for most part of 2008 and 2009 Pakistan will play just eight Tests and 16 to 22 one-dayers.

In 2008 after hosting Australia in January-February, Pakistan then organise the ICC Champions Trophy in September the same year and then host India for three Tests and five ODIs from December onwards the same year.

But in June and July 2009 Pakistan will visit the West Indies for just two Tests and five ODIs and in the second half of the year they tour Australia to play three Tests in November and then come back home to host New Zealand for three Tests and five ODIs before again returning to Australia to play the VB Series which extend to February 2010.

In February-March 2010 Pakistan also host England for a full series of three to four Tests and five limited overs games.

The FTP, which perhaps has been finalised well before the hosts for the 2011 World Cup were decided, also has no mention of the time period when Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh plan to host the premier event.

However, a PCB official said there were plans to also organise the much delayed Asia Cup in the early part of 2008 so that it would keep the Pakistan team busy in the year.

The two busiest teams in the FTP naturally are Australia and India. World Champions Australia play 73 Tests and between 151 and 178 ODIs in the six-year cycle while the Indians are scheduled to compete in 74 Tests and between 173 and 208 one-dayers.

The West Indies, despite their falling graph, also have 67 Tests and between 123 and 141 ODIs ahead of them over the next few years.
Source:The News

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