After 17-year hiatus, cricket returns to iconic stadium in Faisalabad as Pakistan host Bangladesh for five T20Is

Lahore [Pakistan], April 30 (ANI): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday announced that Pakistan will host Bangladesh for a five-match T20I series in May. The series is a part of the Future Tour Programme (FTP) and was initially slated for three ODIs and as many T20Is.
With the ICC Men's T20 World Cup set to be held next year in India and Sri Lanka, both boards mutually agreed to replace the ODIs with two additional T20Is.
"The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has today confirmed that Bangladesh will tour Pakistan in May for a five-match T20I series. The series, which is part of the Future Tour Programme (FTP), originally consisted of three ODIS and three T20IS," PCB said in a statement on Wednesday.
"However, with the ICC Men's T20 World Cup scheduled for next year, both the boards have mutually agreed to replace the ODIs with two additional T20Is," the statement added.
The five T20Is will be played in Faisalabad and Lahore from May 25 to June 3. The Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad will welcome back international cricket after a 17-year hiatus.
The Iqbal Stadium, which successfully hosted the inaugural Champions One-Day Cup in September last year and the National T20 Cup in March, will stage the first and second matches of the series, scheduled for May 25 and 27, respectively.
The historic venue's last international fixture was an ODI between Bangladesh and Pakistan in April 2008. Between 1978 and 2008, the stadium hosted 24 Tests and 16 ODIs.
Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium will host the remaining three fixtures, scheduled on May 30, June 1 and 3. The Bangladesh team will arrive on 21 May and will undergo training sessions at the Iqbal Stadium from May 22 to 24.
In their last five encounters, Bangladesh have emerged victorious once in 2023, while Pakistan have stamped its dominance with four victories on the trot. (ANI)