The English cricket team arrived in Karachi on Thursday as part of their first trip to Pakistan in 17 years.
England last played in Pakistan in 2005 and were due to visit last year until pulling out at short notice after New Zealand also cancelled a tour citing safety concerns.
The decision outraged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), who were desperate to rehabilitate their security reputation (via ESPN).
In the last five years, international cricket has gradually returned to Pakistan and earlier this year, Australia visited for the first time in nearly a quarter of a century.
Strict security
The board said the Australia series proved the quality of the event planning and operations skills of the PCB and expressed confidence that the English games would also go off without a hitch.
Roads near the England team hotel and Karachi’s National Stadium will be sealed off on match days and protected by armed guards.
A helicopter will monitor their journey and offices and shops overlooking the stadium will be ordered to close.
The game does not stop because of the rain.
Pakistan is battling deadly flooding that has submerged nearly a third of the country and left millions homeless. The visit comes as the country deals with the aftermath of the catastrophe.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said last month that the team was “desperate” to play in Pakistan despite the humanitarian disaster.
“Hopefully going out there and playing will be a positive for what has been a pretty harrowing time for the people of that country,” said the managing director of men’s cricket, Rob Key.
England will play seven Twenty20 matches against Pakistan in Karachi and Lahore from September 20 to October 2 as both teams prepare for next month’s T20 World Cup in Australia, according to a release. The 19-man squad, captained by Jos Buttler, will play all the matches.
In December, England will play three five-day Test matches.
