Rawalpindi named second Test venue

The city of Rawalpindi will play host to Pakistan’s second Test match against India early next year, the Pakistan Cricket Board have confirmed.

Rawalpindi was dropped from the list of host venues for the ICC Champions Trophy on security grounds earlier this year following a spate of bombings in the country.

The eight-team tournament was eventually pushed back 13 months when several countries expressed concern at touring Pakistan owing to the ongoing security situation.

The decision to announce Rawalpindi as one of the venues for India’s tour comes just days after its twin city, Islamabad, was rocked by a hotel bomb blast that killed 53 people and injured more than 250.

Rawalpindi will host the second Test between fierce rivals Pakistan and India early next year

Rawalpindi is just a few miles from the capital and visiting teams to the city usually stay at the Marriott Hotel, which was the target of the weekend attack.

The PCB confirmed India will play the second Test at Rawalpindi’s Pindi Stadium between January 21 and 25, and a one-dayer at the same venue on February 11.

Naghmi revealed, however, that the itinerary was approved by the BCCI prior to the Marriott bombing.

India are scheduled to play three Tests and five one-day internationals on the tour, which starts with a three-day warm-up match in Hyderabad on January 6.

The first Test is scheduled to be held in Karachi from January 13 while Lahore will host the final Test from January 29.

The first one-dayer will be staged in Faisalabad on February 6 before further matches in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan and Karachi.

The tour concludes with a Twenty20 international in Karachi on February 19.

India’s tour of Pakistan, January/February 2009:

Jan 6-8: Tour match, Hyderabad
13-17: First Test, Karachi
21-25: Second Test, Rawalpindi
29-Feb 2: Third Test, Lahore
Feb 6: First one-day international, Faisalabad
8: Second one-day international, Lahore
11: Third one-day international, Rawalpindi
14: Fourth one-day international, Multan
17: Fifth one-day international, Karachi
19: Twenty20 international, Karachi.