Pakistan to host Sri Lanka in UAE

Pakistan will host Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) between December 2013 and January 2014 for a bilateral series that includes three Tests, five ODIs and two Twenty20s. The series, the second bilateral contest between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the UAE, will be played in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.

The T20s and ODIs have been scheduled before the Tests. The T20s will be played on December 11 and 13 in Dubai, while Sharjah will host the first ODI on December 18. The last two ODIs will be played in Abu Dhabi. Pakistan will take on Afghanistan in a T20 match before the start of the Sri Lanka series, although the venue for the match has not yet been announced.

The first Test has been scheduled for December 31 in Dubai, while Abu Dhabi and Sharjah will host the second and third Tests, from January 8 and January 16.

"The tour itinerary has been approved after consultation between Pakistan Cricket Board and its counterpart Sri Lanka," the PCB said in a statement

Since the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in March 2009, Pakistan have been forced to play their home series overseas, with UAE being the preferred venue. The last time the two sides played in the UAE in 2011, Pakistan won the ODIs 4-1 and won the Test and T20 series 1-0. Pakistan enjoyed little success on their tour of Sri Lanka in June and July 2012 - the last bilateral series between the teams - losing the Tests (1-0) and ODIs (3-1), while the T20 series was tied.

Fixtures
1st T20I: December 11, Dubai
2nd T20I: December 13, Dubai
1st ODI: December 18, Sharjah
2nd ODI: December 20, Dubai
3rd ODI: December 22, Sharjah
4th ODI: December 25, Abu Dhabi
5th ODI: December 27, Abu Dhabi
1st Test: December 31-January 4, Dubai
2nd Test: January 8-12, Abu Dhabi
3rd Test: January 16-20, Sharjah