LAHORE: Pakistan are set to play more than 120 Test, ODIs and T20 Inter­nationals under the new Future Tours Programme (FTP) being finalised by the ICC, including 80 per cent against strong teams and 20 per cent against lowly outfits, Dawn has learnt.

According to the initial draft of FTP, Pakistan were to play around 104 matches of all three formats, besides the games that would not be part of the FTP during 2019-23.

However, at the ICC executive committee meeting held in Singapore earlier this month, Pakistan’s matches have been increased to more than 120, a PCB official told Dawn on the condition of anonymity.

“Presently, we are in a good position as the PCB did not prefer to play matches against lowly teams like Afghanistan, Ireland, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe,” the official disclosed.

He continued, “A propaganda is being spread that Pakistan will play less matches while teams like Bangladesh, Ireland, Zimbabwe and Afghanistan will play more matches.

“In fact, these four [lowly] teams will compete more against each other. Therefore, the number [of their games] may be [comparatively] more. Whereas Pakistan will play 80 to 85 per cent of their matches against strong teams and while remaining fixtures will be against average opponents like Bangladesh, Ireland, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe,” he elaborated.

“As the PCB has advised the ICC not to finalise the FTP until its Resolution Committee settles the issue between India and Pakistan over the resumption of their bilateral series, the game’s governing body may announce the FTP early next year with a condition that Pakistan’s matches will be subject tothe resolution of the [bilateral series] issue between India and Pakistan,” the official said further.

“The three-match T20 series against the West Indies at home [to be staged in April 2018] and the PSL matches -- both annual events of Pakistan -- are not included in the FTP. Moreover, Pakistan, besides the West Indies series, will also try to arrange some series at home, which will be out of the FTP,” he said.

“In fact, Pakistan and South Africa will play around the same number of international matches from 2019-2023 while Sri Lanka and New Zealand will compete in less number of matches as compared to Pakistan,” the official claimed.

Interestingly, there are some reports the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) has been formally recognised in the new FTP document as a global event.

As a result, there may be no international cricket 15 days before and after the IPL every year.

About India’s conditions about the IPL, the official admitted that the BCCI produced the orders of its Supreme Court at the ICC executive committee meeting, according to which it did not allow India to play any bilateral series 15 days before and after the IPL.

“Many top players from across the cricketing world feature in the IPL, so no cricket board can form its best team [for international contests] during the IPL. However, still England is opposing the proposal as its own domestic cricket is on during the IPL [in April-May]. That’s why Pakistan and England will play a two-Test series during May 2018,” the official explained.

When asked what Pakistan will do during the IPL, because their players were not invited to play in that league, the official said in those days a series against some lowly countries could be possible.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2017